Delphinium parryi
Delphinium cardinale
Parry's larkspur, San Bernardino larkspur
cardinal larkspur, cardinal or scarlet larkspur, scarlet larkspur
(10-)40-80(-110) cm;
base reddish, puberulent.
(33-)50-150(-280) cm;
base reddish, ± puberulent.
blade pentagonal, 1-7 × 2-10 cm, ± puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-27, width 1-20 mm (basal), 0.5-5 mm (cauline).
blade round to reniform, 3-7 × 5-10 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 0-27, width 5-40 mm (basal), 0.5-6 mm (cauline).
(2-)8-24(-48)-flowered, cylindric;
pedicel ± spreading, (0.5-)1-3(-6.8) cm, usually puberulent;
bracteoles 2-7(-16) mm from flowers, green to blue, lance-linear, 2-6(-10) mm, puberulent.
10-40(-80)-flowered, open, narrowly pyramidal;
pedicel spreading, (1-)2-5 cm, ± puberulent;
bracteoles (2-)7-15(-25) mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-7 mm, glabrous to puberulent.
sepals dark blue to bluish purple, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading or reflexed, (7-)10-20(-25) × 4-9 mm, spurs straight, ascending 0-30° above horizontal, 9-17(-21) mm;
lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 3-10 mm, clefts 2-6 mm;
hairs mostly near base of cleft, centered or on inner lobes, white.
sepals red, glabrous, lateral sepals forward pointing, 11-15 × 5-8 mm, spurs straight, stout, slightly ascending, 15-24 mm;
lower petal blades nearly coplanar with claw, exposing stamens, 2-5 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm;
hairs centered at base of cleft, short, sparse, yellow.
10-19 mm, 2.8-4 times longer than wide, puberulent or glabrous.
erect, 9-18 mm, 2.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.
seed coat cells ± brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces ± roughened.
unwinged;
seed coat cells with margins undulate, surfaces roughened.
= 16.
Delphinium parryi
Delphinium cardinale
Subspecies 5 (5 in the flora).
A number of local phases are found in Delphinium parryi. Five of these appear consistently distinct and are recognized here. Other phases may be locally distinct but grade into other nearby phases. Delphinium parryi hybridizes with D. cardinale (D. ×inflexum Davidson).
The Kawaiisu used the ground root of Delphinium parryi medicinally as a salve for swollen limbs (D. E. Moerman 1986, no subspecies specified).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Hybrids between Delphinium cardinale and D. parryi have been named D. ×inflexum Davidson. Because of horticultural interest in red-flowered delphiniums, garden hybrids have been made with D. elatum, D. hesperium, D. hutchinsoniae, D. nudicaule, D. parishii, D. penardii, D. scopulorum, D. tatsienense Franchet, D. uliginosum, and D. zalil Aitchison & Hemsley, although D. cardinale does not grow with any of these in the wild.
Plants of Delphinium cardinale are quite variable in size, leaf distribution, and pubescence, resulting in considerable differences between, and sometimes within, populations. No patterns could be seen, however, to justify recognition of separate taxa within D. cardinale. Populations farther south (in Baja California, Mexico) may represent a distinct entity; they require further study.
The only possible confusion between Delphinium cardinale (seeds not ringed, fruits erect, grows in relatively dry sites) and another taxon might occur with Delphinium nudicaule (seeds ringed, fruits spreading, grows in moist habitats). The two are separated geographically and phenologically (although D. cardinale may begin flowering in southern California before D. nudicaule has finished in northern California).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Basal leaves usually absent at anthesis. | → 2 |
1. Basal leaves usually present at anthesis. | → 3 |
2. Lateral sepals 16–25 mm. | subsp. blochmaniae |
2. Lateral sepals 9–15 mm. | subsp. parryi |
3. Lateral sepals 7–11 mm; above 700 m elevation. | subsp. purpureum |
3. Lateral sepals (9–)12–20 mm; below 700 m elevation. | → 4 |
4. Sepals usually reflexed. | subsp. eastwoodiae |
4. Sepals usually spreading. | subsp. maritimum |
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
