Delphinium viridescens |
Delphinium recurvatum |
|
---|---|---|
Wenatchee larkspur |
Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, valley larkspur |
|
Stems | 90-150 cm; base usually green, glabrous. |
(18-)30-50(-85) cm; base reddish, glabrous. |
Leaves | blade cuneate to semicircular, 2-5 × 3-12 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-21, width 1-8 mm. |
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). |
Inflorescences | 25-80-flowered, dense; pedicel 0.5-2 cm, glandular-pubescent; bracteoles 1-4 mm from flowers, green, lanceolate, 3.5-6 mm, glandular-pubescent. |
(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. |
Flowers | sepals yellowish green, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals forward pointing, 7-9 × 3-4 mm, spurs decurved, 30-45° below horizontal, often hooked apically, 8-11 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 4-6 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm; hairs centered, mostly near junction of blade and claw, 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. |
Fruits | 8-11 mm, 2.5-3 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
8-21 mm, 2.2-3 times longer than wide, puberulent. |
Seeds | ± wing-margined; seed coat cells with surfaces ± roughened. |
seed coat cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces roughened. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Delphinium viridescens |
Delphinium recurvatum |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering spring. |
Habitat | Wet meadows and streamsides in coniferous forest, heavy clay soils | Grassland, Atriplex scrub |
Elevation | 500-1000 m (1600-3300 ft) | 30-600 m (100-2000 ft) |
Distribution |
WA
|
CA
|
Discussion | Of conservation concern. Delphinium viridescens is local in mountains southwest of Wenatchee, Washington. (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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Multiplex | Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Subscaposa |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | D. hesperium var. recurvatum | |
Name authority | Leiberg: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 11: 39. (1897) | Greene: Pittonia 1: 285. (1889) |
Web links |