Delphinium recurvatum |
Delphinium scopulorum |
|
---|---|---|
Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, valley larkspur |
Rocky Mountain larkspur |
|
Stems | (18-)30-50(-85) cm; base reddish, glabrous. |
50-120 cm; base often reddish, puberulent, midstems glabrous to subglabrous. |
Leaves | 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). |
blade round to pentagonal, 1.5-10 × 2-16 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 5-19, width 5-30 mm (basal), 1-10 mm (cauline). |
Inflorescences | (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. |
10-30-flowered, open, cylindric; pedicel ascending to spreading, 1-3(-4.5) cm, puberulent; bracteoles 2-7 mm from flowers, green, linear, 2-4 mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | 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. |
sepals bright dark blue, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals forward pointing, 12-15 × 4-6 mm, spurs gently decurved, slightly ascending, 15-20 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 5-8 mm, clefts 1-3 mm; hairs sparse, centered, mostly below junction of blade and claw, white. |
Fruits | 8-21 mm, 2.2-3 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
16-20 mm, 4-4.5 times longer than wide, nearly glabrous. |
Seeds | seed coat cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
wing-margined; seed coat cells with margins straight, cell surfaces ± roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Delphinium recurvatum |
Delphinium scopulorum |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring. | Flowering late summer–early autumn. |
Habitat | Grassland, Atriplex scrub | Riparian forests and open woodlands |
Elevation | 30-600 m (100-2000 ft) | 1700-2600 m (5600-8500 ft) |
Distribution |
CA
|
AZ; NM; Mexico (Sonora) |
Discussion | 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.) |
Hybrids are known with Delphinium andesicola. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. hesperium var. recurvatum | D. macrophyllum |
Name authority | Greene: Pittonia 1: 285. (1889) | A. Gray: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 9. (1853) |
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