Delphinium variegatum |
Delphinium recurvatum |
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royal larkspur |
Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, valley larkspur |
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Stems | (10-)20-50(-80) cm; base reddish or not, not longitudinally ridged, long-pubescent. |
(18-)30-50(-85) cm; base reddish, glabrous. |
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Leaves | blade round to pentagonal, 1-4.5 × 2-6 cm, pubescent; ultimate lobes 3-15, width 3-8 mm (basal), 2-5 mm (cauline). |
blade round to pentagonal, 1-4 × 1.5-6 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-11, width 3-15 mm (basal), 1-10 mm (cauline). |
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Inflorescences | (4-)6-17(-20)-flowered, open; pedicel 0.5-3(-7) cm, usually puberulent; bracteoles 2-7(-23) mm from flowers, green, linear-lanceolate, 3-8 mm, puberulent. |
(8-)10-25(-47)-flowered, narrowly pyramidal; pedicel ± spreading, (0.5-)1.5-4(-6) cm, nearly glabrous; bracteoles 3-8(-18) mm from flowers, green, sometimes margins white, lanceolate to linear, 3-5(-8) mm, nearly glabrous. |
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Flowers | sepals usually deep royal blue, sometimes bright blue to light blue or white, ± finely pubescent, lateral sepals spreading, 10-18(-25) × 6-10 mm, spurs straight, ascending ca. 30° above horizontal, 10-19 mm; lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 4-11 mm, clefts 0.5-3.5 mm; hairs sparse, more on inner lobes than outer lobe or centered, scattered on margins, white or yellow. |
sepals light to sky blue (becoming bluer upon drying), puberulent, lateral sepals reflexed, 11-16 × 5-7(-9) mm, spurs straight to gently upcurved, ascending 0-30° above horizontal, 10-15(-18) mm; lower petal blades elevated, ± exposing stamens, 5-8 mm, clefts 0.5-2.5 mm; hairs mostly centered on inner lobes near base of cleft, white. |
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Fruits | 9-19 mm, 2.2-3.8 times longer than wide, ± puberulent. |
8-21 mm, 2.2-3 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
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Seeds | not echinate, appearing ± smooth to naked eye; seed coat cells with margins ± undulate, surfaces roughened. |
seed coat cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
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2n | = 16. |
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Delphinium variegatum |
Delphinium recurvatum |
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Phenology | Flowering spring. | |||||||||
Habitat | Grassland, Atriplex scrub | |||||||||
Elevation | 30-600 m (100-2000 ft) | |||||||||
Distribution |
CA
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CA
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Discussion | Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Delphinium recurvatum has a very restricted distribution in the Central (especially San Joaquin) Valley. This species was probably much more common in the past; most of its habitat has been converted into irrigated croplands. Delphinium recurvatum grows in poorly drained, alkaline soils on valley floors. Hybrids are known between Delphinium recurvatum and D. gypsophilum, D. hesperium, D. parryi, and D. variegatum. Delphinium recurvatum is most likely to be confused with D. gypsophilum or D. hesperium subsp. pallescens. Distinguishing features are found in discussions of those taxa. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. | ||||||||
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Echinata | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa | ||||||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||||||
Synonyms | D. hesperium var. recurvatum | |||||||||
Name authority | Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 32. 183: not D. variegatum Baillon 1883 | Greene: Pittonia 1: 285. (1889) | ||||||||
Web links |