Delphinium bicolor |
Delphinium recurvatum |
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Flathead larkspur, little larkspur, low larkspur, Montana larkspur |
Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, valley larkspur |
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Stems | 10-40(-70) cm; base often reddish, glabrous to puberulent. |
(18-)30-50(-85) cm; base reddish, glabrous. |
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Leaves | blade round, 1-4 × 1.5-7 cm, glabrous to puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-19, width 1-8 mm (basal), 1-3 mm (cauline). |
blade round to pentagonal, 1-4 × 1.5-6 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-11, width 3-15 mm (basal), 1-10 mm (cauline). |
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Inflorescences | 3-12(-22)-flowered; pedicel 1-4(-8) cm, ± puberulent; bracteoles 2-7(-17) mm from flowers, green, sometimes white-margined, lanceolate, 4-6(-8) mm, puberulent. |
(8-)10-25(-47)-flowered, narrowly pyramidal; pedicel ± spreading, (0.5-)1.5-4(-6) cm, nearly glabrous; bracteoles 3-8(-18) mm from flowers, green, sometimes margins white, lanceolate to linear, 3-5(-8) mm, nearly glabrous. |
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Flowers | sepals dark blue, puberulent, lateral sepals usually spreading, 16-21 × 6-12 mm, spurs straight to gently decurved, ascending 0-40° above horizontal, 13-23 mm; lower petal blades covering stamens, 7-12 mm, clefts 0.1-3 mm; hairs sparse, short, mostly on inner lobes below junction of blade and claw, white or yellow. |
sepals light to sky blue (becoming bluer upon drying), puberulent, lateral sepals reflexed, 11-16 × 5-7(-9) mm, spurs straight to gently upcurved, ascending 0-30° above horizontal, 10-15(-18) mm; lower petal blades elevated, ± exposing stamens, 5-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2.5 mm; hairs mostly centered on inner lobes near base of cleft, white. |
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Fruits | (12-)16-22 mm, 4-4.5 times longer than wide, usually puberulent. |
8-21 mm, 2.2-3 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
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Seeds | often winged; seed coat cells with surfaces ± smooth. |
seed coat cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
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2n | = 16. |
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Delphinium bicolor |
Delphinium recurvatum |
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Phenology | Flowering spring. | |||||
Habitat | Grassland, Atriplex scrub | |||||
Elevation | 30-600 m (100-2000 ft) | |||||
Distribution |
ID; MT; ND; NE; SD; WY; AB; BC; SK
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CA
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Discussion | Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora). Delphinium bicolor is closely related to D. glareosum; it differs in its wider-lobed cauline leaves, shallower petal clefts, and narrower fruits. The Gosiute consider this plant to be poisonous (D. E. Moerman 1986, subspecies not specified). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Delphinium recurvatum has a very restricted distribution in the Central (especially San Joaquin) Valley. This species was probably much more common in the past; most of its habitat has been converted into irrigated croplands. Delphinium recurvatum grows in poorly drained, alkaline soils on valley floors. Hybrids are known between Delphinium recurvatum and D. gypsophilum, D. hesperium, D. parryi, and D. variegatum. Delphinium recurvatum is most likely to be confused with D. gypsophilum or D. hesperium subsp. pallescens. Distinguishing features are found in discussions of those taxa. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. | ||||
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Bicoloria | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa | ||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||
Synonyms | D. hesperium var. recurvatum | |||||
Name authority | Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 10. (1834) | Greene: Pittonia 1: 285. (1889) | ||||
Web links |