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Delphinium trolliifolium

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

New Mexico larkspur, White Mountain larkspur

Stems

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

base usually reddish, glabrous to puberulent.

90-180(-250) cm;

base usually green, glabrous.

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 to pentagonal, 5-10 × 8-18 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 5-21, width 4-15 mm.

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.

(20-)30-70(-140)-flowered;

pedicel 0.5-1.5 cm, puberulent;

bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, linear, 5-8 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 (in bud) purple to lavender, fading brownish, puberulent, lateral sepals ± forward pointing, 7-11 × 4-5 mm, spurs straight to gently decurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 7-11 mm;

lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 3.5-6 mm, clefts 1-2 mm;

hairs mostly centered between base of cleft and junction of blade and claw, white or yellow.

Fruits

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

12-16 mm, 3-4 times longer than wide, puberulent.

Seeds

unwinged;

seed coats smooth.

wing-margined;

seed coat cells elongate, surfaces ± roughened.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Delphinium trolliifolium

Delphinium novomexicanum

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering summer to early autumn.
Habitat Oak woods, coastal chaparral, wet woodlands Meadows in coniferous forest
Elevation 30-1100 m [100-3600 ft] 2200-3900 m [7200-12800 ft]
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM
[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.)

Delphinium novomexicanum represents the southern Cordilleran complex in the Sacramento and White mountains.

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

Source FNA vol. 3. Treatment author: Michael J. Warnock. FNA vol. 3. Treatment author: Michael J. Warnock.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Grumosa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Exaltata
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. 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. 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
Synonyms D. sierrae-blancae
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 375. (1872) Wooton: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 37: 37. (1910)
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