Delphinium hansenii
Delphinium tricorne
Eldorado larkspur, Hansen's delphinium, Hansen's larkspur
dwarf larkspur, rock larkspur
(25-)40-80(-180) cm;
base usually reddish, pubescent.
20-60 cm;
base often reddish, nearly glabrous.
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, 2-8 × 4-12 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-18, 5 or more extending more than 3/5 distance to petiole, width 2-10 mm (basal), 4-10 mm (cauline), widest at middle or in proximal 1/2.
(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.
5-15(-30)-flowered, less than 3 times longer than wide;
pedicel 1-2.5 cm, puberulent;
bracteoles 1-4(-6) mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-5 mm, puberulent.
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 deep bluish purple to pink or white, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 11-19 × 4-7 mm, spurs straight, within 30° of horizontal, 13-16 mm;
lower petal blades ± covering stamens, blue, except sometimes in white-flowered plants, 6-10 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm;
hairs sparse, mostly centered near junction of blade and claw, white.
8-20 mm, 2.2-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.
14-22 mm, 4-4.5 times longer than wide, nearly glabrous.
echinate, appearing fuzzy to naked eye;
seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces sparsely pustulate.
unwinged;
surface of each seed coat cell with 1-5 small, swollen, elongate, blunt, hairlike structures, barely visible at 20x, otherwise smooth.
= 16.
Delphinium hansenii
Delphinium tricorne
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.)
Delphinium tricorne is the most commonly encountered larkspur east of the Great Plains.
The Cherokee prepared infusions of Delphinium tricorne to ingest for heart problems, although they believed the roots of the plant made cows drunk and killed them (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Sepals reddish purple to dark maroon. | subsp. ewanianum |
1. Sepals dark blue-purple to white. | → 2 |
2. Leaves primarily basal (although leaves may be dry at anthesis and thus lost in herbarium specimens, petiole base will be present); cauline leaves usually fewer than 3; sepals bright blue to white. | subsp. kernense |
2. Leaves primarily cauline, basal leaves usually absent at anthesis; cauline leaves 3 or more; sepals dark blue-purple to white or pink. | subsp. hansenii |
CA
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