Delphinium cardinale |
Delphinium newtonianum |
|
---|---|---|
cardinal larkspur, cardinal or scarlet larkspur, scarlet larkspur |
newton's larkspur, Ozark larkspur |
|
Stems | (33-)50-150(-280) cm; base reddish, ± puberulent. |
40-90 cm; base often reddish, puberulent. |
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 round to pentagonal, 4-7 × 5-15 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-7, width 8-20 mm (basal), 5-15 mm (cauline), widest at middle or in proximal 1/2. |
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. |
8-20(-40)-flowered, as wide as long or nearly so; pedicel 1-4(-6) cm, pubescent; bracteoles 6-15 mm from flowers, green, linear, 1.5-5 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 to light blue, rarely white, glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 12-14 × 6-7 mm, spurs straight to decurved, within 30° of horizontal, 10-15 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-5 mm, clefts 2-3 mm; hairs mostly centered near base of cleft, yellow. |
Fruits | erect, 9-18 mm, 2.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
8-12 mm, 3-3.5 times longer than wide, nearly glabrous. |
Seeds | unwinged; seed coat cells with margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
unwinged; surface of each seed coat cell with swollen, blunt, hairlike structures, barely visible at 20x, otherwise smooth. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium cardinale |
Delphinium newtonianum |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–early summer. | Flowering early summer. |
Habitat | Slopes (often unstable) in chaparral | Slopes in deciduous forest |
Elevation | 50-1500 m (200-4900 ft) | 500-700 m (1600-2300 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur)
|
AR |
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.) |
No cases of hybridization are known. Delphinium newtonianum often occurs in mixed populations with D. tricorne. It normally does not begin flowering until 4-6 weeks after D. tricorne has finished. (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. Grumosa |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Hooker: Bot. Mag., plate 4887. (1855) | D. M. Moore: Rhodora 41: 196. (1939) |
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