Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium

Common names: Western larkspur
Endemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Stems glabrous to simple-puberulent, long hairs rare. Inflorescences usually fewer than 30-flowered, open; pedicel ascending. Flowers: sepals dark blue-purple, spreading, lateral sepals 8-16 mm, more than 4 mm wide, spurs 9-16 mm; lower petal blades 5-8 mm. Fruits 3.5-4.2 times longer than wide. 2n = 16.


Phenology: Flowering mid-late spring.
Habitat: Open oak woods, grasslands, openings in coastal chaparral
Elevation: 10-1100 m

Discussion

Populations of Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium are found only on western slopes of the Coast Ranges. Hybrids with D. parryi and D. variegatum are known.

Although Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium has been confused with D. parryi, it may be recognized by its usually darker blue sepals, absence of arched hairs on proximal portion of stems, and pronounced venation abaxially on leaves. Delphinium parryi has brighter blue sepals, arched hairs present on proximal portion of stems, and leaves not prominently veined abaxially.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

Michael J. Warnock +
A. Gray +
usually larger +
puberulent +
expanded +
Delphinium series +
straight +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
smaller +
subopposite-subalternate +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
green +  and blue +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
minute +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
globose;cylindric +
brick--shaped +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Western larkspur +
10-1100 m +
less smooth;naked +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
showy +  and inconspicuous +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
sessile +  and aggregate +
curved-cylindric +
Open oak woods, grasslands, openings in coastal chaparral +
open +  and 0-30-flowered +
axillary +  and terminal +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
less ovate +  and elliptic +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
round +  and pentagonal +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
largest +
lacerate;crenate +
clawed +, 2-lobed +, ovate +  and plane +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
palmate +  and pinnate +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
linear-lanceolate +
smaller +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
distinct +
conspicuous +
spurred +, funnel--shaped +, cup-shaped +  and plane +
reduced +
glabrous;puberulent +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
Flowering mid-late spring. +
2-100-flowered +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
3-9(-20)-branched +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
tuberlike +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
succulent +, dry +  and fleshy +
not echinate +
dark-brown +  and black +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
not ringed +
rectangular +
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
thread-like +
dark blue-purple +
not persistent +
distinct +
3 +  and 6 +
not +  and veined +
straight +
ascending +  and upcurved +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
80 cm800 mm <br />0.8 m <br /> (120 cm1,200 mm <br />1.2 m <br />) +
glabrous +  and simple-puberulent +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (80 cm800 mm <br />0.8 m <br />) +
persistent +
roughened;smooth +
Delphinium hesperium subsp. hesperium +
Delphinium hesperium +
subspecies +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.4 cm24 mm <br />0.024 m <br />) +
herbaceous +  and woody +