Delphinium uliginosum |
Delphinium alpestre |
|
---|---|---|
swamp larkspur |
alpine larkspur, Colorado larkspur |
|
Stems | 10-30(-70) cm; base reddish or not, nearly glabrous. |
5-25 cm; base green, puberulent. |
Leaves | blade obdeltoid, apically several parted, 1-8 × 1-7 cm, ± fleshy, glabrous; ultimate lobes 0-3, width 3-20 mm (cauline only); margins of basal leaf, measured less than 1 cm from blade base, demarcating less than 90° of arc when leaf laid flat. |
blade round to pentagonal, 1.5-5 × 2-5 cm, puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-15, width 2-11 mm. |
Inflorescences | 5-20(-48)-flowered, ± open; pedicel 0.3-3(-10) cm, glabrous to puberulent; bracteoles 2-3(-5) mm from flowers, green to blue, lanceolate-linear, 3-4(-7) mm, puberulent. |
2-8-flowered; pedicel 1-4 cm, puberulent; bracteoles 1-3 mm from flowers, green, linear-lanceolate, 6-10 mm, puberulent. |
Flowers | sepals dark blue, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 9-15 × 5-8 mm, spurs usually upcurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 10-14 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-5 mm, clefts 2-3 mm; hairs centered, densest on inner lobe above base of cleft, also on margins, white. |
sepals dark blue, apex rounded, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading to forward pointing, 11-14 × 5-7 mm, spurs straight except usually slightly down-curved at apex, varying from 20° above to 20° below horizontal, 8-12 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 4-6 mm, clefts 2-4 mm; hairs sparse, mostly near base of cleft, centered on inner lobes, white. |
Fruits | 10-18 mm, 4.1-4.5 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
7-12 mm, 3.5-4 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
Seeds | seed coat cells with surfaces bumpy or wavy. |
unwinged; seed coat cells elongate, surface roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium uliginosum |
Delphinium alpestre |
|
Phenology | Flowering late spring–early summer. | Flowering mid-late summer. |
Habitat | Serpentine streamsides, chaparral, grassland | Exposed talus slopes on high peaks |
Elevation | 400-600 m (1300-2000 ft) | (3400-)3800 m and above ((11200-)12500 ft and above) |
Distribution |
CA
|
CO; NM |
Discussion | Although some populations are large, Delphinium uliginosum is very local. Hybrids with D. hesperium subsp. pallescens have been seen. Delphinium uliginosum is a very distinctive species, not likely to be confused with any other. The fan-shaped, slightly dissected leaves are apparently unique in the genus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Delphinium alpestre is very similar to D. ramosum, possibly divergent from that taxon only since the most recent glaciation of North America, during which ancestors of D. alpestre might have survived on peaks above the ice, while ancestors of D. ramosum survived in valleys below the ice. Since glaciation, D. ramosum apparently has migrated upslope, near but not adjoining populations of D. alpestre. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Depauperata | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Exaltata |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. ramosum var. alpestre | |
Name authority | Curran: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 151. (1885) | Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 146. (1902) |
Web links |