Delphinium cardinale
Delphinium
cardinal larkspur, cardinal or scarlet larkspur, scarlet larkspur
delphinium, larkspur
(33-)50-150(-280) cm;
base reddish, ± puberulent.
blade round to reniform, 3-7 × 5-10 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 0-27, width 5-40 mm (basal), 0.5-6 mm (cauline).
blade deeply palmately divided, round to pentagonal or reniform, margins entire or lobes apically crenate or lacerate, lobes of basal blades wider and fewer than those of cauline blades.
10-40(-80)-flowered, open, narrowly pyramidal;
pedicel spreading, (1-)2-5 cm, ± puberulent;
bracteoles (2-)7-15(-25) mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-7 mm, glabrous to puberulent.
terminal, 2-100(-more)-flowered racemes (occasionally branched, thus technically panicles), 5-40 cm or more;
bracts subtending inflorescence branches;
pedicels present or absent;
bracteoles (on pedicels) subopposite-subalternate, not forming involucre.
sepals red, glabrous, lateral sepals forward pointing, 11-15 × 5-8 mm, spurs straight, stout, slightly ascending, 15-24 mm;
lower petal blades nearly coplanar with claw, exposing stamens, 2-5 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm;
hairs centered at base of cleft, short, sparse, yellow.
bisexual, bilaterally symmetric;
sepals not persistent in fruit, 5;
upper sepal 1, spurred, 8-24 mm;
lateral sepals 2, ± ovate to elliptic, 8-18 mm;
lower sepals 2, similar to lateral sepals;
upper petals 2, spurred, enclosed in upper sepal, nectary inside tip of spur;
lower petals 2, plane, ± ovate, ± 2-lobed, clawed, 2-12 mm, nectary absent;
stamens 25-40;
filaments with base expanded;
staminodes absent between stamens and pistils;
pistils 3(-5), simple;
ovules 8-20 per pistil;
style present.
erect, 9-18 mm, 2.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.
follicles, aggregate, sessile, ± curved-cylindric, sides prominently veined or not;
beak terminal, straight, 2-4 mm.
unwinged;
seed coat cells with margins undulate, surfaces roughened.
dark brown to black (often appearing white because of air in seed coat cells), rectangular to pyramidal, often ± rough surfaced.
= 8.
= 16.
Delphinium cardinale
Delphinium
Hybrids between Delphinium cardinale and D. parryi have been named D. ×inflexum Davidson. Because of horticultural interest in red-flowered delphiniums, garden hybrids have been made with D. elatum, D. hesperium, D. hutchinsoniae, D. nudicaule, D. parishii, D. penardii, D. scopulorum, D. tatsienense Franchet, D. uliginosum, and D. zalil Aitchison & Hemsley, although D. cardinale does not grow with any of these in the wild.
Plants of Delphinium cardinale are quite variable in size, leaf distribution, and pubescence, resulting in considerable differences between, and sometimes within, populations. No patterns could be seen, however, to justify recognition of separate taxa within D. cardinale. Populations farther south (in Baja California, Mexico) may represent a distinct entity; they require further study.
The only possible confusion between Delphinium cardinale (seeds not ringed, fruits erect, grows in relatively dry sites) and another taxon might occur with Delphinium nudicaule (seeds ringed, fruits spreading, grows in moist habitats). The two are separated geographically and phenologically (although D. cardinale may begin flowering in southern California before D. nudicaule has finished in northern California).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species ca. 300 (61 in the flora).
Three Eurasian species of Delphinium–D. elatum Linnaeus, D. grandiflorum Linnaeus, and D. tatsienense Franchet–have been commonly cultivated in North America. Of the nonnative taxa, only D. elatum is sporadically naturalized, as far as is known. Isolating mechanisms in Delphinium appear to be primarily ecological, geographic, and/or temporal. Where these distinctions are disrupted, introgression often exists. Hybridization occurs regularly between certain taxa, particularly in areas of disturbance (e.g., roadcuts, drainage ditches, clearcuts). The more common and easily recognized hybrids are included in the key.
Many names have been misapplied in Delphinium. The few misapplied names mentioned in discussions below refer to relatively widespread problems.
Unless otherwise noted, the key and descriptions refer to fresh material. Some features may be significantly altered by pressing; they can, however, usually be determined with a certain amount of effort and experience.
In the descriptions, "base of cleft" refers to the point where the cleft or sinus reaches most deeply into the petal blade.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Lower petal blades less than 1/5 length of lateral sepals; sepals never red or yellow. | Sect. Elatopsis |
1. Lower petal blades more than 1/5 length of lateral sepals; sepals blue, purple, white, red, or yellow. | Sect. Diedropetala |
CA
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USDA Plants Database
OR
WA
Flora NW
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