Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum(synonym of Delphinium leucophaeum) |
Delphinium luteum |
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pale larkspur, white rock larkspur |
golden larkspur, yellow larkspur |
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Stems | 30-60 cm. |
20-40(-55) cm; base often reddish, nearly glabrous. |
Leaves | blade round to pentagonal, 1-5 × 2-10 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-5, width 8-30 mm (basal), 5-15 mm (cauline). |
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Inflorescences | 5-25(-37)-flowered; pedicel (1-)3-5(-7) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 6-10(-17) mm from flowers, green, linear-lanceolate, 6-7 mm, nearly glabrous. |
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Flowers | sepals white or light yellow, spurs 9-11 mm; lower petal blades 4-6 mm. |
sepals bright yellow, puberulent, appearing waxy, lateral sepals ± forward pointing, (11-)14-16 × (6-)9-13 mm, spur straight, ca. 30° below horizontal, 11-20 mm; lower petal blades elevated, exposing stamens, 3-4 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm; hairs sparse or absent, ± evenly distributed if present, white to yellow. |
Fruits | 11-14 mm, 3.5-4.5 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
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Seeds | unwinged; seed coat cell surfaces smooth. |
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2n | = 16. |
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Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum |
Delphinium luteum |
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Phenology | Flowering late spring. | Flowering late winter-mid spring. |
Habitat | Rock outcrops, rocky meadows | Wet cliffs, coastal grassland or chaparral |
Elevation | 50-100 m (200-300 ft) | 0-50 m (0-200 ft) |
Distribution |
OR
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CA
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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.) |
Of conservation concern. Delphinium luteum is presently known from only three populations. It is known to hybridize with D. decorum and with D. nudicaule. Populations of D. hesperium subsp. hesperium also occur at the type locality; D. luteum flowers earlier and hybrids are not known. Delphinium luteum is not likely to be mistaken for any other species of Delphinium. It has been treated as a variety of D. nudicaule and is closely related to that species. Sepals of the infrequent yellow-flowered phase of D. nudicaule, however, have a much drabber appearance compared with the bright shining yellow of the sepals in D. luteum. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Grumosa > Delphinium nuttallii | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Bicoloria |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. menziesii var. (ß) ochroleucum, D. leucophaeum | |
Name authority | (Nuttall) M. J. Warnock: Phytologia 78: 98. (1995) | A. Heller: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 6: 68. (1903) |
Web links |