Delphinium scaposum |
Delphinium trolliifolium |
|
---|---|---|
bare-stem larkspur, desert larkspur, tall mountain larkspur |
Columbian larkspur, cow-poison, poison delphinium, poison larkspur |
|
Stems | 25-50(-65) cm; base usually reddish, glabrous, glaucous. |
(40-)60-120(-180) cm; base usually reddish, glabrous to puberulent. |
Leaves | blade ± round, 0.5-4 × 0.5-6 cm, puberulent to glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-9, width 2-15 mm (basal), 0.5-3 mm (cauline). |
blade ± pentagonal, 4-8 × 7-16 cm, margins ± incised, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 0-9, width 15-30 mm (basal), 5-20 mm (cauline), widest at middle or in proximal 1/2. |
Inflorescences | 10-25(-40)-flowered, cylindric; pedicel ascending, 0.6-2.5 cm, glabrous; bracteoles 2-5 mm from flowers, green to blue, linear-lanceolate, 2-4 mm, glabrous. |
(5-)14-40(-75)-flowered, ± open, at least 2 times longer than wide; pedicel 1-4(-9) cm, puberulent to glabrous; bracteoles (2-)6-12 mm from flowers, green, linear, 5-9(-14) mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | sepals bright dark blue, glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 11-14 × 4-6 mm, spurs straight, sometimes decurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 13-18 mm; lower petal blades elevated, exposing stamens, 5-8 mm, cleft 2-4 mm; hairs mostly centered on inner lobes near junction of blade and claw, white. |
sepals dark blue, glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, (8-)14-21 × 5-9 mm, spurs straight or downcurved at apex, within 20° of horizontal, (10-)16-23 mm; lower petal blades covering stamens, 5-10 mm, clefts 1.5-3 mm; hairs sparse, mostly near junction of blade and claw, centered or on inner lobes, well dispersed, yellow. |
Fruits | 12-16 mm, 2.5-3 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
(15-)23-34 mm, 3.8-5.5 times longer than wide, glabrous. |
Seeds | seed coat cells ± brick-shaped, cell margins straight, surfaces smooth. |
unwinged; seed coats smooth. |
2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Delphinium scaposum |
Delphinium trolliifolium |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring. | Flowering spring. |
Habitat | Juniper woods, grassland | Oak woods, coastal chaparral, wet woodlands |
Elevation | 1200-2700 m (3900-8900 ft) | 30-1100 m (100-3600 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CO; NM; UT
|
CA; OR
|
Discussion | Delphinium scaposum is reportedly used in Navajo and Hopi religous ceremonies, as well as for a wash following childbirth (D. E. Moerman 1986). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Delphinium trolliifolium occurs in the northern Coast Range of California, the Columbia River Valley to just east of Mt. Hood, and the Willamette Valley of Oregon upstream to Lane County. California plants differ somewhat from Oregon plants in pubescence patterns and habitat preferences. Further study may show that two entities are involved here. Hybrids between Delphinium trolliifolium and D. decorum, D. menziesii subsp. pallidum (D. ×pavonaceum Ewan, Peacock larkspur), D. nudicaule, D. nuttallianum, and D. nuttallii are known. Delphinium trolliifolium is likely to be confused only with D. bakeri. Refer to discussion under that species for differences. (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. Grumosa |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. andersonii var. scaposum | |
Name authority | Greene: Bot. Gaz. 6: 156. 1881, not D. scaposum W. T. Wang (1957) | A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 375. (1872) |
Web links |