Delphinium cardinale
Delphinium variegatum
cardinal larkspur, cardinal or scarlet larkspur, scarlet larkspur
royal larkspur
(33-)50-150(-280) cm;
base reddish, ± puberulent.
(10-)20-50(-80) cm;
base reddish or not, not longitudinally ridged, long-pubescent.
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, 1-4.5 × 2-6 cm, pubescent; ultimate lobes 3-15, width 3-8 mm (basal), 2-5 mm (cauline).
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.
(4-)6-17(-20)-flowered, open;
pedicel 0.5-3(-7) cm, usually puberulent;
bracteoles 2-7(-23) mm from flowers, green, linear-lanceolate, 3-8 mm, puberulent.
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 usually deep royal blue, sometimes bright blue to light blue or white, ± finely pubescent, lateral sepals spreading, 10-18(-25) × 6-10 mm, spurs straight, ascending ca. 30° above horizontal, 10-19 mm;
lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-11 mm, clefts 0.5-3.5 mm;
hairs sparse, more on inner lobes than outer lobe or centered, scattered on margins, white or yellow.
erect, 9-18 mm, 2.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.
9-19 mm, 2.2-3.8 times longer than wide, ± puberulent.
unwinged;
seed coat cells with margins undulate, surfaces roughened.
not echinate, appearing ± smooth to naked eye;
seed coat cells with margins ± undulate, surfaces roughened.
= 16.
Delphinium cardinale
Delphinium variegatum
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.)
Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Long hairs dense on base of stem; sepals usually deep royal blue; mainland. | subsp. variegatum |
1. Long hairs sparse on proximal portion of stems; sepals white to bright blue; islands. | → 2 |
2. Sepals bright blue to light blue. | subsp. thornei |
2. Sepals white to light blue. | subsp. kinkiense |
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
