Flora of North America species comparison

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Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum

(synonym of Delphinium leucophaeum)

Delphinium hansenii

pale larkspur, white rock larkspur

Eldorado larkspur, Hansen's delphinium, Hansen's larkspur

Stems

30-60 cm.

(25-)40-80(-180) cm;

base usually reddish, pubescent.

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).

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.

Flowers

sepals white or light yellow, spurs 9-11 mm;

lower petal blades 4-6 mm.

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.

Fruits

8-20 mm, 2.2-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.

Seeds

echinate, appearing fuzzy to naked eye;

seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces sparsely pustulate.

= 16.

Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum

Delphinium hansenii

Phenology

Flowering late spring.

Habitat

Rock outcrops, rocky meadows

Elevation

50-100 m [200-300 ft]

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

The range of morphologic features of Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum (D. leucophaeum) is almost completely encompassed within that of D. nuttallii subsp. nuttallii. Sepal color is the only feature consistently separating the two subspecies. Were it not for the fact that any given population typically has plants of only one flower color, a rank of forma would be more appropriate.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

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.)

Key

1. Sepals reddish purple to dark maroon.	D. hansenii 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.	D. hansenii 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.	D. hansenii subsp. hansenii

Source

FNA vol. 3.

Parent taxa

Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Grumosa > Delphinium nuttallii

Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Echinata

Sibling taxa

D. alabamicum, D. alpestre, D. andersonii, D. andesicola, D. antoninum, D. bakeri, D. barbeyi, D. basalticum, D. bicolor, D. brachycentrum, D. californicum, D. cardinale, D. carolinianum, D. decorum, D. depauperatum, D. distichum, D. elatum, D. exaltatum, D. geraniifolium, D. geyeri, D. glareosum, D. glaucescens, D. glaucum, D. gracilentum, D. gypsophilum, D. hansenii, D. hesperium, D. hutchinsoniae, D. inopinum, D. lineapetalum, D. luteum, D. madrense, D. menziesii, D. multiplex, D. newtonianum, D. novomexicanum, D. nudicaule, D. nuttallianum, D. nuttallii, D. parishii, D. parryi, D. patens, D. polycladon, D. purpusii, D. ramosum, D. recurvatum, D. robustum, D. sapellonis, D. scaposum, D. scopulorum, D. stachydeum, D. sutherlandii, D. treleasei, D. tricorne, D. trolliifolium, D. uliginosum, D. umbraculorum, D. variegatum, D. viridescens, D. wootonii, D. xantholeucum

D. alabamicum, D. alpestre, D. andersonii, D. andesicola, D. antoninum, D. bakeri, D. barbeyi, D. basalticum, D. bicolor, D. brachycentrum, D. californicum, D. cardinale, D. carolinianum, D. decorum, D. depauperatum, D. distichum, D. elatum, D. exaltatum, D. geraniifolium, D. geyeri, D. glareosum, D. glaucescens, D. glaucum, D. gracilentum, D. gypsophilum, D. hesperium, D. hutchinsoniae, D. inopinum, D. lineapetalum, D. luteum, D. madrense, D. menziesii, D. multiplex, D. newtonianum, D. novomexicanum, D. nudicaule, D. nuttallianum, D. nuttallii, D. parishii, D. parryi, D. patens, D. polycladon, D. purpusii, D. ramosum, D. recurvatum, D. robustum, D. sapellonis, D. scaposum, D. scopulorum, D. stachydeum, D. sutherlandii, D. treleasei, D. tricorne, D. trolliifolium, D. uliginosum, D. umbraculorum, D. variegatum, D. viridescens, D. wootonii, D. xantholeucum

Subordinate taxa

D. hansenii subsp. ewanianum, D. hansenii subsp. hansenii, D. hansenii subsp. kernense

Synonyms

D. menziesii var. (ß) ochroleucum, D. leucophaeum

D. hesperium var. hansenii

Name authority

(Nuttall) M. J. Warnock: Phytologia 78: 98. (1995)

(Greene) Greene: Pittonia 3: 94. (1896)

Web links

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America, OregonFlora, UW Burke Herbarium

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