Delphinium exaltatum |
Delphinium geyeri |
|
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tall larkspur |
Geyer's larkspur, poisonweed |
|
Stems | 70-200 cm; base reddish, nearly glabrous. |
(15-)30-60(-80) cm; base usually reddish, puberulent. |
Leaves | blade pentagonal, 2-7 × 3-9 cm, puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-7, width 5-25 mm; midcauline leaf lobes less than 3 times longer than wide. |
blade light green, ± round, 1-5 × 1-6 cm, densely pubescent; ultimate lobes 7-20, width 2-5 mm (basal), 2-4 mm (cauline), apex gradually tapering to point; veins obscure. |
Inflorescences | 8-30-flowered; pedicel 0.5-2 cm, puberulent; bracteoles 2-4 mm from flowers, green, linear, 2-4 mm, puberulent. |
6-30(-60)-flowered, ± open, cylindric; pedicel ascending to spreading, 1-3(-4) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, lanceolate, 3-6 mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | sepals whitish to pale lavender or purple, puberulent, lateral sepals forward pointing, 9-11 × 4-6 mm, spurs straight, as much as 45° above or below horizontal, 9-12 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 3-5 mm, clefts 1-2 mm; hairs centered, mostly near base of cleft, white. |
sepals bright blue, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 10-18 × 4-8 mm, spurs straight to slightly downcurved, ascending 0-30°, 11-16 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm; hairs centered, densest on inner lobes near base of cleft, white to light yellow. |
Fruits | 7-12 mm, 2-2.5 times longer than wide, ± puberulent. |
11-15 mm, 3-3.5 times longer than wide, sparse puberulent. |
Seeds | ± wing-margined; seed coat cells elongate, surfaces smooth. |
unwinged; seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces ± roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
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Delphinium exaltatum |
Delphinium geyeri |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering late spring–early summer. |
Habitat | Rocky slopes in open deciduous woods and barrens, mainly on calcareous substrates, also shale and mafic and ultramafic rocks | Grasslands or Artemisia-Cercocarpus scrub |
Elevation | 150-2000 m (500-6600 ft) | 1400-3000 m (4600-9800 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; KY; MD; MO; NC; OH; PA; TN; VA; WV
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CO; MT; NE; UT; WY
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Discussion | Apparently closely related to Delphinium stachydeum, D. geyeri is generally smaller, earlier flowering, with more finely dissected leaves and a more eastern geographic distribution. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Exaltata | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Aiton: Hort. Kew. 2: 244. (1789) | Greene: Erythea 2: 189. (1894) |
Web links |