Delphinium cardinale |
Delphinium geraniifolium |
|
---|---|---|
cardinal larkspur, cardinal or scarlet larkspur, scarlet larkspur |
Clark Valley larkspur, Mogollon larkspur |
|
Stems | (33-)50-150(-280) cm; base reddish, ± puberulent. |
60-100 cm; base reddish, puberulent, midstems pubescent. |
Leaves | 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 dark green, at least adaxially, fan-shaped to reniform, 2-5 × 3-7 cm, pubescent, especially abaxially; ultimate lobes 5-15, width 4-15 mm (basal lobes 5-15 mm), apex abruptly tapered, usually mucronate; veins prominent. |
Inflorescences | 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. |
20-90-flowered, dense, cylindric; pedicel ascending to spreading, 1-2 cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-2 mm from flowers, green, linear, 4-6 mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | 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. |
sepals dark blue to purple, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading to slightly forward pointing, 10-14 × 3-5 mm, spurs ascending 20-70°, truncate or downcurved apically, 12-15 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-6 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm; hairs sparse, local below junction of blade and claw, scattered on margins, white. |
Fruits | erect, 9-18 mm, 2.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
13-18 mm, 3-3.5 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
Seeds | unwinged; seed coat cells with margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
unwinged; seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces ± roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Delphinium cardinale |
Delphinium geraniifolium |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–early summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Slopes (often unstable) in chaparral | Heavy clay soil, dry meadows in coniferous woods |
Elevation | 50-1500 m (200-4900 ft) | 1800-3400 m (5900-11200 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur)
|
AZ; NM
|
Discussion | 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.) |
Delphinium geraniifolium is a more pubescent analog of the closely related D. scopulorum, the former occurring in heavier soils at higher elvation. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. tenuisectum subsp. amplibracteatum | |
Name authority | Hooker: Bot. Mag., plate 4887. (1855) | Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 26: 583. (1899) |
Web links |