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umbrella larkspur

hedgenettle larkspur, Rocky Mountain larkspur, spike larkspur, Umatilla larkspur

Stems

40-70(-90) cm;

base often reddish, glabrous or puberulent.

(40-)70-150(-200) cm;

base reddish, puberulent.

Leaves

blade round to pentagonal, 1.5-4 × 2-6 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-13, width 3-20 mm (basal), 1-8 mm (cauline).

blade light green, ± round, 2-8 × 3.5-11 cm, sparsely pubescent; ultimate lobes 7-19, width 1-8 mm, apex tapering to point;

veins obscure.

Inflorescences

(5-)10-25(-45)-flowered, open, narrowly pyramidal;

pedicel 0.5-3(-7) cm, glabrous to puberulent;

bracteoles 3-7 mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-6 mm, puberulent.

(14-)30-60(-102)-flowered, dense, cylindric;

pedicel spreading, 0.8-2(-3) cm, puberulent;

bracteoles 1-4 mm from flowers, green, linear, 2-7(-10) mm, puberulent.

Flowers

sepals dark blue, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 9-16 × 4-7 mm, spurs gently upcurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 8-14 mm;

lower petal blades elevated, exposing stamens, 3.5-6 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm;

hairs densest near junction of blade and claw above base of cleft, centered or on inner lobes, white.

sepals bright blue, puberulent, lateral sepals spreading, 9-13 × 4-7 mm, spurs straight, within 30° above or below horizontal, 11-17 mm;

lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 4-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2 mm;

hairs sparse, centered, mostly near junction of blade and claw above base of cleft, white.

Fruits

9-16(-19) mm, 2.5-3(-4) times longer than wide, puberulent.

10-15 mm, 3.5-4.5 times longer than wide, puberulent.

Seeds

seed coat cells brick-shaped, cell margins straight, surfaces smooth.

wing-margined;

seed coat cells with margins straight, surfaces ± roughened.

2n

= 16.

Delphinium umbraculorum

Delphinium stachydeum

Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Slopes in oak forests Swales in Artemisia scrub
Elevation 400-1600 m (1300-5200 ft) 1300-3000 m (4300-9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Delphinium umbraculorum is most often confused with D. patens subsp. hepaticoideum; refer to discussion of that taxon for distinguishing features. Hybrids occur with D. parryi and D. patens subsp. montanum.

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

Populations of Delphinium stachydeum are widely scattered in isolated mountain ranges surrounded by desert or grassland. The species has been reported (visual sightings) from northwestern Utah; no specimens have been seen from there. Hybrids between D. stachydeum and D. glaucum have been reported. Although D. stachydeum has been seen flowering within 30 m of flowering D. depauperatum, no hybrids have been observed.

Delphinium stachydeum may possibly be confused with D. geyeri, from which it may be distinguished by its usually greater plant size, less pubescent foliage, and later flowering date. Delphinium stachydeum also may be confused with D. glaucum; 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. Subscaposa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Wislizenana
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. uliginosum, 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. 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. sutherlandii, D. treleasei, D. tricorne, D. trolliifolium, D. uliginosum, D. umbraculorum, D. variegatum, D. viridescens, D. wootonii, D. xantholeucum
Synonyms D. scopulorum var. stachydeum, D. confertiflorum, D. umatillense
Name authority H. F. Lewis & Epling: Brittonia 8: 19. (1954) (A. Gray) Tidestrom: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 27: 61. (1914)
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