Delphinium variegatum
A California-endemic North American perennial in the Ranunculaceae, described by Torrey and Gray in 1838, with tall pubescent stems, pubescent basal and cauline leaves, blue to white spurred flowers in loose, multi-flowered inflorescences, and 3–5 erect follicles with winged seeds, belonging to genus Delphinium.
Common Names
Royal Larkspur, Larkspur
Summary
Royal Larkspur is a California-native perennial herb with stems 10–80 cm tall and a pubescent base. Leaves appear mainly on the proximal third, with 0–6 basal leaves and 1–6 cauline leaves; leaf blades are round to pentagonal and pubescent. Open-inflorescence features 4–20 flowers; sepals are usually deep royal blue, with lateral sepals 10–18(–25) × 6–10 mm and spurs 10–19 mm; lower petal blades 4–11 mm. Fruits are 9–19 mm long, and seeds are not echinate, possessing undulate margins.
Three California subspecies occur: the mainland subspecies with dense basal hairs and sepals typically deep royal blue; the island subspecies with white to light blue sepals; and the thornei subspecies with blue to light blue sepals. Toxicity: do not eat any part.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
0.5-2.5 feet
Bloom Color
Deep royal blue, blue to light blue or white
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Torr. & A.Gray
- Publication
- Fl. N. Amer. 1: 32 (1838)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Ranunculales
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus
- Delphinium
Inferior Taxa
Delphinium variegatum subsp. apiculatum Delphinium variegatum subsp. kinkiense
Synonyms
Delphinium bicolor var. variegatum Delphinium decorum Delphinium variegatum f. typicum Delphinium variegatum subsp. variegatum Delphinium bicolor var. apiculatum Delphinium grandiflorum var. variegatum Delphinium variegatum f. superbum Delphinium variegatum var. variegatum