Delphinium cardinale |
Delphinium ramosum |
|
---|---|---|
cardinal larkspur, cardinal or scarlet larkspur, scarlet larkspur |
mountain larkspur |
|
Stems | (33-)50-150(-280) cm; base reddish, ± puberulent. |
(45-)70-100 cm; base sometimes 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, 2-8 × 4-14 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 5-21, width 1-5 mm; midcauline leaf lobes more than 3 times longer than wide. |
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. |
(10-)15-40(-120)-flowered; pedicel 1-2.5(-4) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, sometimes margins white, linear or lanceolate, 3-5(-8) 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 bright dark blue, apex rounded, puberulent, lateral sepals forward pointing to spreading, 11-13 × 4-6 mm, spurs straight, ascending ca. 30° above horizontal, 9-13 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 5-7 mm, clefts 2-3 mm; hairs centered above base of cleft, white. |
Fruits | erect, 9-18 mm, 2.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
11-17 mm, 3-4 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
Seeds | unwinged; seed coat cells with margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
wing-margined; seed coat cells narrow, short, surfaces roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Delphinium cardinale |
Delphinium ramosum |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–early summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Slopes (often unstable) in chaparral | Meadows, aspen woodlands, Artemisia scrub |
Elevation | 50-1500 m (200-4900 ft) | 2100-3200(-3400) m (6900-10500(-11200) ft) |
Distribution |
CA; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur)
|
CO; 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 ramosum hybridizes with D. barbeyi and D. glaucum. (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. Exaltata |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Hooker: Bot. Mag., plate 4887. (1855) | Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 28: 276. (1901) |
Web links |