Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum(synonym of Delphinium leucophaeum) |
Delphinium menziesii |
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pale larkspur, white rock larkspur |
Menzies' larkspur |
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Stems | 30-60 cm. |
(10-)35-70(-85) cm; base often reddish, puberulent. |
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Leaves | blade round, 1.5-5 × 3-9 cm, puberulent; ultimate lobes 5-18, width 2-15 mm (basal), 1-10 mm (cauline), widest at middle or in proximal 1/2. |
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Inflorescences | 3-15(-43)-flowered; pedicel 1.5-4(-7) cm, (glandular) puberulent; bracteoles 8-10(-24) mm from flowers, green to blue, linear, 4-6(-9) mm, puberulent. |
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Flowers | sepals white or light yellow, spurs 9-11 mm; lower petal blades 4-6 mm. |
sepals bluish purple or yellowish, often partly fading upon drying, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, (11-)13-20 × 5-11 mm, spurs straight, ascending less than 30° above horizontal, 11-17 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 8-12 mm, clefts 0.2-2.5 mm; hairs sparse, centered, mostly near junction of blade and claw above base of cleft, white or blue. |
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Fruits | 11-17 mm, 3.5-4 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
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Seeds | wing-margined; seed coat cell surfaces smooth, without swollen blunt hair. |
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2n | = 16. |
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Delphinium nuttallii subsp. ochroleucum |
Delphinium menziesii |
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Phenology | Flowering late spring. | |||||
Habitat | Rock outcrops, rocky meadows | |||||
Elevation | 50-100 m (200-300 ft) | |||||
Distribution |
OR
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OR; WA; BC
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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.) |
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora). Although Delphinium menziesii has often been confused with D. nuttallii, it may be distinguished by its consistently larger flowers and usually fewer flowers per plant. Interestingly, each species produces both blue-purple and yellowish flower colors in separate populations. The Chehalis consider Delphinium menziesii poisonous, but they also apply it to sores. The women of the Thompson Indians use it as a love charm (D. E. Moerman 1986, subspecies not indicated). (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. Grumosa > Delphinium nuttallii | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Grumosa | ||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||
Synonyms | D. menziesii var. (ß) ochroleucum, D. leucophaeum | |||||
Name authority | (Nuttall) M. J. Warnock: Phytologia 78: 98. (1995) | de Candolle: Syst. Nat. 1: 355. (1817) | ||||
Web links |