Flora of North America species comparison

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Delphinium parishii

Delphinium recurvatum

desert larkspur, Parish's larkspur

Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, valley larkspur
Stems

(17-)30-60(-100) cm;

base reddish or not, glabrous to puberulent.

(18-)30-50(-85) cm;

base reddish, glabrous.
Leaves

blade pentagonal, 0.7-5 × 1-8 cm, glabrous to puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-18, width 2-18 mm (basal), 0.5-8 mm (cauline).

blade round to pentagonal, 1-4 × 1.5-6 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-11, width 3-15 mm (basal), 1-10 mm (cauline).
Inflorescences

(6-)10-40(-74)-flowered, cylindric;

pedicel ascending-spreading, (0.3-)1-2.5(-4.8) cm, glabrous to puberulent;

bracteoles 2-5(-10) mm from flowers, green, lance-linear, 2-6(-16) mm, glabrous to puberulent.

(8-)10-25(-47)-flowered, narrowly pyramidal;

pedicel ± spreading, (0.5-)1.5-4(-6) cm, nearly glabrous;

bracteoles 3-8(-18) mm from flowers, green, sometimes margins white, lanceolate to linear, 3-5(-8) mm, nearly glabrous.
Flowers

sepals dark blue to white to pink, often puberulent, lateral sepals reflexed or spreading, (7-)9-13 × 2-7 mm, spurs ± decurved, ascending 20-45° above horizontal, 7-15 mm;

lower petal blades ± elevated, exposing stamens, blue or white to pink (concolorous with sepals), 3-6 mm, clefts 1-3 mm;

hairs mostly near base of cleft, centered or on inner lobes, white.

sepals light to sky blue (becoming bluer upon drying), puberulent, lateral sepals reflexed, 11-16 × 5-7(-9) mm, spurs straight to gently upcurved, ascending 0-30° above horizontal, 10-15(-18) mm;

lower petal blades elevated, ± exposing stamens, 5-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2.5 mm;

hairs mostly centered on inner lobes near base of cleft, white.
Fruits

9-21 mm, 2-4 times longer than wide, glabrous to puberulent.

8-21 mm, 2.2-3 times longer than wide, puberulent.
Seeds

seed coat cells ± brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces roughened.

seed coat cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces roughened.
2n

= 16.

Delphinium parishii

Delphinium recurvatum
Phenology Flowering spring.
Habitat Grassland, Atriplex scrub
Elevation 30-600 m (100-2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

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

Of conservation concern.

Delphinium recurvatum has a very restricted distribution in the Central (especially San Joaquin) Valley. This species was probably much more common in the past; most of its habitat has been converted into irrigated croplands. Delphinium recurvatum grows in poorly drained, alkaline soils on valley floors.

Hybrids are known between Delphinium recurvatum and D. gypsophilum, D. hesperium, D. parryi, and D. variegatum. Delphinium recurvatum is most likely to be confused with D. gypsophilum or D. hesperium subsp. pallescens. Distinguishing features are found in discussions of those taxa.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Lateral sepals reflexed; sepals bright, ± sky blue.
subsp. parishii
1. Lateral sepals not reflexed; sepals dark blue or white to pink.
→ 2
2. Sepals dark blue; flowers rarely present after 20 May.
subsp. subglobosum
2. Sepals white, pinkish, or purplish; flowers rarely present before 20 May.
subsp. pallidum
Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa
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. 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. 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. 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. parishii subsp. pallidum, D. parishii subsp. parishii, D. parishii subsp. subglobosum
Synonyms D. hesperium var. recurvatum
Name authority A. Gray: Bot. Gaz. 12: 53. (1887) Greene: Pittonia 1: 285. (1889)
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).



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