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swamp larkspur

Delphinium glareosum

Olympic larkspur, Olympic Mountain larkspur, rockslide larkspur

Stems

10-30(-70) cm;

base reddish or not, nearly glabrous.

20-40 cm;

base reddish or not, glabrous, glaucous.

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, 2-4 × 3-7 cm, not succulent, glabrous; ultimate lobes 7-15, width 3-10 mm (basal), 2-7 mm (cauline).

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.

5-12-flowered;

pedicel 1-5(-10) cm, nearly glabrous to glandular-puberulent;

bracteoles 2-10(-20) mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-8 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, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 14-22 × 6-10 mm, spurs ± straight, orientation varies from 30° above to 30° below horizontal, 16-20 mm;

lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± covering stamens, 6-9 mm, clefts 2-4 mm;

hairs local, densest on inner lobes near base of cleft, white to light yellow.

Fruits

10-18 mm, 4.1-4.5 times longer than wide, puberulent.

12-17 mm, 2.5-3 times longer than wide, glabrous.

Seeds

seed coat cells with surfaces bumpy or wavy.

± wing-margined;

seed coat cells with surfaces smooth.

2n

= 16.

Delphinium uliginosum

Delphinium glareosum

Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Serpentine streamsides, chaparral, grassland Steep rocky subalpine to alpine slopes
Elevation 400-600 m (1300-2000 ft) 1500-2800 m (4900-9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

See discussion under Delphinium bicolor.

(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. 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. trolliifolium, 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. 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
Synonyms D. caprorum
Name authority Curran: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 151. (1885) Greene: Pittonia 3: 257. (1898)
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