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Delphinium trolliifolium

Columbian larkspur, cow-poison, poison delphinium, poison larkspur

Anthony Peak larkspur, Tracy's larkspur

Stems

(40-)60-120(-180) cm;

base usually reddish, glabrous to puberulent.

(7-)15-30(-60) cm;

base reddish, glabrous to puberulent.

Leaves

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.

blade round, 0.8-4 × 1.2-8 cm, ± succulent, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-15, width 1-8 mm (basal), 1-4 mm (cauline).

Inflorescences

(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.

3-25-flowered;

pedicel (0.6-)1.2-3.2 cm, usually puberulent;

bracteoles 4-6 mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-5 mm, puberulent.

Flowers

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.

sepals dark blue to white, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading to reflexed, 11-13 × 4-6 mm, spurs straight to gently decurved, within 30° above or below horizontal, 12-16 mm;

lower petal blades elevated, exposing stamens, 3-7 mm, clefts 1.5-3 mm;

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

Fruits

(15-)23-34 mm, 3.8-5.5 times longer than wide, glabrous.

14-22 mm, 3.5-4 times longer than wide, puberulent.

Seeds

unwinged;

seed coats smooth.

unwinged;

seed coat cells with surfaces smooth.

2n

= 16.

Delphinium trolliifolium

Delphinium antoninum

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Oak woods, coastal chaparral, wet woodlands Uncommon on moist talus slopes
Elevation 30-1100 m (100-3600 ft) 1100-2700 m (3600-8900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Of conservation concern.

Delphinium antoninum hybridizes with D. decorum subsp. tracyi and with D. nudicaule. Most often confused with D. decorum subsp. tracyi, it is separable on the basis of its longer root, usually reflexed sepals, and typically colorfast flowers. It also may be confused with D. andersonii; see discussion under that species.

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

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Grumosa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Bicoloria
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. parishii, 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. uliginosum, D. umbraculorum, D. variegatum, D. viridescens, D. wootonii, D. xantholeucum
D. alabamicum, D. alpestre, D. andersonii, D. andesicola, 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. 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
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 375. (1872) Eastwood: Leafl. W. Bot. 3: 126. (1942)
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