Delphinium luteum |
Delphinium uliginosum |
|
---|---|---|
golden larkspur, yellow larkspur |
swamp larkspur |
|
Stems | 20-40(-55) cm; base often reddish, nearly glabrous. |
10-30(-70) cm; base reddish or not, 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). |
blade obdeltoid, apically several parted, 1-8 × 1-7 cm, ± fleshy, glabrous; ultimate lobes 0-3, width 3-20 mm (cauline only); margins of basal leaf, measured less than 1 cm from blade base, demarcating less than 90° of arc when leaf laid flat. |
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. |
5-20(-48)-flowered, ± open; pedicel 0.3-3(-10) cm, glabrous to puberulent; bracteoles 2-3(-5) mm from flowers, green to blue, lanceolate-linear, 3-4(-7) 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 dark blue, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 9-15 × 5-8 mm, spurs usually upcurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 10-14 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-5 mm, clefts 2-3 mm; hairs centered, densest on inner lobe above base of cleft, also on margins, white. |
Fruits | 11-14 mm, 3.5-4.5 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
10-18 mm, 4.1-4.5 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
Seeds | unwinged; seed coat cell surfaces smooth. |
seed coat cells with surfaces bumpy or wavy. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium luteum |
Delphinium uliginosum |
|
Phenology | Flowering late winter-mid spring. | Flowering late spring–early summer. |
Habitat | Wet cliffs, coastal grassland or chaparral | Serpentine streamsides, chaparral, grassland |
Elevation | 0-50 m (0-200 ft) | 400-600 m (1300-2000 ft) |
Distribution |
CA
|
CA
|
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.) |
Although some populations are large, Delphinium uliginosum is very local. Hybrids with D. hesperium subsp. pallescens have been seen. Delphinium uliginosum is a very distinctive species, not likely to be confused with any other. The fan-shaped, slightly dissected leaves are apparently unique in the genus. (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. Depauperata |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | A. Heller: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 6: 68. (1903) | Curran: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 151. (1885) |
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