Delphinium exaltatum |
Delphinium purpusii |
|
---|---|---|
tall larkspur |
Kern County larkspur, Purpus' larkspur, rose-color larkspur, rose-flower larkspur |
|
Stems | 70-200 cm; base reddish, nearly glabrous. |
(30-)50-80(-120) cm; base reddish or not, nearly glabrous. |
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 round, 1.5-6 × 2-10 cm, ± puberulent; ultimate lobes 0-5, width 5-30(-50) mm (basal), 5-20(-40) mm (cauline). |
Inflorescences | 8-30-flowered; pedicel 0.5-2 cm, puberulent; bracteoles 2-4 mm from flowers, green, linear, 2-4 mm, puberulent. |
(8-)12-20(-32)-flowered, ± cylindric; pedicel ± ascending, (0.5-)1-4(-5) cm, glandular-puberulent; bracteoles 1-6 mm from flowers, green to magenta, linear, 2-4 mm, glandular-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 magenta to rose, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals reflexed, 10-16 × 3-7 mm, spurs straight, 30-45° above horizontal, (10-)14-19 mm; lower petal blades nearly coplanar with claws, exposing stamens, 3-4 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm; hairs sparse, scattered, white. |
Fruits | 7-12 mm, 2-2.5 times longer than wide, ± puberulent. |
(11-)18-29 mm, 4-4.5 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
Seeds | ± wing-margined; seed coat cells elongate, surfaces smooth. |
seed coats with small wavy ridges, cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces smooth. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium exaltatum |
Delphinium purpusii |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering spring. |
Habitat | Rocky slopes in open deciduous woods and barrens, mainly on calcareous substrates, also shale and mafic and ultramafic rocks | Talus, cliffs, on and near large boulders |
Elevation | 150-2000 m (500-6600 ft) | 300-1300 m (1000-4300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; KY; MD; MO; NC; OH; PA; TN; VA; WV
|
CA
|
Discussion | Of conservation concern. Delphinium purpusii is not likely to be confused with any other Delphinium in North America. Hybrids with Delphinium hansenii subsp. kernense are known to occur. (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. Subscaposa |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Aiton: Hort. Kew. 2: 244. (1789) | Brandegee: Bot. Gaz. 27: 444. (1899) |
Web links |