Delphinium hansenii |
Delphinium alpestre |
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Eldorado larkspur, Hansen's delphinium, Hansen's larkspur |
alpine larkspur, Colorado larkspur |
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Stems | (25-)40-80(-180) cm; base usually reddish, pubescent. |
5-25 cm; base green, puberulent. |
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Leaves | blade pentagonal, 1.5-5 × 2.5-8 cm, long-pubescent, especially abaxially; ultimate lobes 0-18, width 4-20 mm (basal), 2-9 mm (cauline). |
blade round to pentagonal, 1.5-5 × 2-5 cm, puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-15, width 2-11 mm. |
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Inflorescences | (9-)15-40(-160)-flowered, dense to open; pedicel 0.3-2.5(-6) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-5(-8) mm from flowers, green, sometimes white-margined, linear-lanceolate, 2-6(-8) mm, puberulent. |
2-8-flowered; pedicel 1-4 cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, linear-lanceolate, 6-10 mm, puberulent. |
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Flowers | sepals violet to white, ± puberulent, lateral sepals spreading to forward pointing, 7-10(-13) × 3-6(-8) mm, spurs gently upcurved, ascending 0-30° above horizontal, (6-)9-13(-16) mm; lower petal blades elevated, ± exposing stamens, 3-7 mm, cleft 1-2(-4) mm; hairs centered, densest on inner lobes near base of cleft, white. |
sepals dark blue, apex rounded, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading to forward pointing, 11-14 × 5-7 mm, spurs straight except usually slightly down-curved at apex, varying from 20° above to 20° below horizontal, 8-12 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 4-6 mm, clefts 2-4 mm; hairs sparse, mostly near base of cleft, centered on inner lobes, white. |
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Fruits | 8-20 mm, 2.2-4 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
7-12 mm, 3.5-4 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
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Seeds | echinate, appearing fuzzy to naked eye; seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces sparsely pustulate. |
unwinged; seed coat cells elongate, surface roughened. |
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Delphinium hansenii |
Delphinium alpestre |
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Phenology | Flowering mid-late summer. | |||||||||
Habitat | Exposed talus slopes on high peaks | |||||||||
Elevation | (3400-)3800 m and above ((11200-)12500 ft and above) | |||||||||
Distribution |
CA
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CO; NM |
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Discussion | Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora). Although Delphinium hansenii has often been confused with D. hesperium, seeds will instantly allow identification. Seeds of Delphinium hansenii are, as far as known, unique, bearing numerous, elongate, prismlike raised structures (extensions of single cells or small groups of cells) over the entire seed coat. If seeds are absent, larger flowers, more open inflorescences (except in D. hesperium subsp. cuyamacae), and general absence of pubescence of long hairs in D. hesperium are apparent upon comparison of the two species. Separating D. hansenii from D. variegatum may also be difficult. Again, seeds leave no doubt. In addition, smaller flowers and greater number of flowers per plant of D. hansenii should serve to distinguish D. hansenii from D. variegatum. White-flowered D. hansenii has been confused with D. gypsophilum and with D. hesperium subsp. pallescens. Other than seeds, pubescence of long hairs and smaller flowers present in D. hansenii and absent in the others will distinguish them. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Delphinium alpestre is very similar to D. ramosum, possibly divergent from that taxon only since the most recent glaciation of North America, during which ancestors of D. alpestre might have survived on peaks above the ice, while ancestors of D. ramosum survived in valleys below the ice. Since glaciation, D. ramosum apparently has migrated upslope, near but not adjoining populations of D. alpestre. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. | ||||||||
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Echinata | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Exaltata | ||||||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||||||
Synonyms | D. hesperium var. hansenii | D. ramosum var. alpestre | ||||||||
Name authority | (Greene) Greene: Pittonia 3: 94. (1896) | Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 146. (1902) | ||||||||
Web links |