Delphinium uliginosum |
Delphinium exaltatum |
|
---|---|---|
swamp larkspur |
tall larkspur |
|
Stems | 10-30(-70) cm; base reddish or not, nearly glabrous. |
70-200 cm; base reddish, nearly glabrous. |
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 pentagonal, 2-7 × 3-9 cm, puberulent; ultimate lobes 3-7, width 5-25 mm; midcauline leaf lobes less than 3 times longer than wide. |
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. |
8-30-flowered; pedicel 0.5-2 cm, puberulent; bracteoles 2-4 mm from flowers, green, linear, 2-4 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 whitish to pale lavender or purple, puberulent, lateral sepals forward pointing, 9-11 × 4-6 mm, spurs straight, as much as 45° above or below horizontal, 9-12 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 3-5 mm, clefts 1-2 mm; hairs centered, mostly near base of cleft, white. |
Fruits | 10-18 mm, 4.1-4.5 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
7-12 mm, 2-2.5 times longer than wide, ± puberulent. |
Seeds | seed coat cells with surfaces bumpy or wavy. |
± wing-margined; seed coat cells elongate, surfaces smooth. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium uliginosum |
Delphinium exaltatum |
|
Phenology | Flowering late spring–early summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Serpentine streamsides, chaparral, grassland | Rocky slopes in open deciduous woods and barrens, mainly on calcareous substrates, also shale and mafic and ultramafic rocks |
Elevation | 400-600 m (1300-2000 ft) | 150-2000 m (500-6600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA
|
AL; KY; MD; MO; NC; OH; PA; TN; VA; WV
|
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.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Depauperata | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Exaltata |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Curran: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 151. (1885) | Aiton: Hort. Kew. 2: 244. (1789) |
Web links |