Delphinium hansenii |
Delphinium stachydeum |
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Eldorado larkspur, Hansen's delphinium, Hansen's larkspur |
hedgenettle larkspur, Rocky Mountain larkspur, spike larkspur, Umatilla larkspur |
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Stems | (25-)40-80(-180) cm; base usually reddish, pubescent. |
(40-)70-150(-200) cm; base reddish, 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 light green, ± round, 2-8 × 3.5-11 cm, sparsely pubescent; ultimate lobes 7-19, width 1-8 mm, apex tapering to point; veins obscure. |
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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. |
(14-)30-60(-102)-flowered, dense, cylindric; pedicel spreading, 0.8-2(-3) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-4 mm from flowers, green, linear, 2-7(-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 bright blue, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 9-13 × 4-7 mm, spurs straight, within 30° above or below horizontal, 11-17 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 4-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm; hairs sparse, centered, mostly near junction of blade and claw above base of cleft, white. |
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Fruits | 8-20 mm, 2.2-4 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
10-15 mm, 3.5-4.5 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. |
wing-margined; seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces ± roughened. |
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Delphinium hansenii |
Delphinium stachydeum |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | |||||||||
Habitat | Swales in Artemisia scrub | |||||||||
Elevation | 1300-3000 m (4300-9800 ft) | |||||||||
Distribution |
CA
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CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
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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.) |
Populations of Delphinium stachydeum are widely scattered in isolated mountain ranges surrounded by desert or grassland. The species has been reported (visual sightings) from northwestern Utah; no specimens have been seen from there. Hybrids between D. stachydeum and D. glaucum have been reported. Although D. stachydeum has been seen flowering within 30 m of flowering D. depauperatum, no hybrids have been observed. Delphinium stachydeum may possibly be confused with D. geyeri, from which it may be distinguished by its usually greater plant size, less pubescent foliage, and later flowering date. Delphinium stachydeum also may be confused with D. glaucum; see discussion under that species. (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. Wislizenana | ||||||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||||||
Synonyms | D. hesperium var. hansenii | D. scopulorum var. stachydeum, D. confertiflorum, D. umatillense | ||||||||
Name authority | (Greene) Greene: Pittonia 3: 94. (1896) | (A. Gray) Tidestrom: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 27: 61. (1914) | ||||||||
Web links |
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