Delphinium luteum |
Delphinium geyeri |
|
---|---|---|
golden larkspur, yellow larkspur |
Geyer's larkspur, poisonweed |
|
Stems | 20-40(-55) cm; base often reddish, nearly glabrous. |
(15-)30-60(-80) cm; base usually reddish, puberulent. |
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). |
blade light green, ± round, 1-5 × 1-6 cm, densely pubescent; ultimate lobes 7-20, width 2-5 mm (basal), 2-4 mm (cauline), apex gradually tapering to point; veins obscure. |
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. |
6-30(-60)-flowered, ± open, cylindric; pedicel ascending to spreading, 1-3(-4) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, lanceolate, 3-6 mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | 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. |
sepals bright blue, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 10-18 × 4-8 mm, spurs straight to slightly downcurved, ascending 0-30°, 11-16 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm; hairs centered, densest on inner lobes near base of cleft, white to light yellow. |
Fruits | 11-14 mm, 3.5-4.5 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
11-15 mm, 3-3.5 times longer than wide, sparse puberulent. |
Seeds | unwinged; seed coat cell surfaces smooth. |
unwinged; seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces ± roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium luteum |
Delphinium geyeri |
|
Phenology | Flowering late winter-mid spring. | Flowering late spring–early summer. |
Habitat | Wet cliffs, coastal grassland or chaparral | Grasslands or Artemisia-Cercocarpus scrub |
Elevation | 0-50 m (0-200 ft) | 1400-3000 m (4600-9800 ft) |
Distribution |
CA
|
CO; MT; NE; UT; WY
|
Discussion | 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.) |
Apparently closely related to Delphinium stachydeum, D. geyeri is generally smaller, earlier flowering, with more finely dissected leaves and a more eastern geographic distribution. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Bicoloria | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | A. Heller: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 6: 68. (1903) | Greene: Erythea 2: 189. (1894) |
Web links |