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Delphinium robustum

(Wahatoya Creek Larkspur)

Overview

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Threatened
Threat status

Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Robust Larkspur, Wahatoya Creek Larkspur

Description

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Genus Delphinium

Herbs, perennial , from fasciculate roots or rhizomes. Leaves basal and/or cauline, petiolate , petioles gradually to abruptly shorter on distal leaves; basal leaves usually larger than cauline; cauline leaves alternate. Leaf blade deeply palmately divided , round to pentagonal or reniform , margins entire or lobes apically crenate or lacerate , lobes of basal blades wider and fewer than those of cauline blades. Inflorescences terminal , 2-100(-more) -flowered racemes (occasionally branched, thus technically panicles), 5-40 cm or more; bracts subtending inflorescence branches; pedicels present or absent; bracteoles (on pedicels) subopposite-subalternate, not forming involucre. Flowers bisexual , bilaterally symmetric ; sepals not persistent in fruit, 5; upper sepal 1, spurred , 8-24 mm; lateral sepals 2, ± ovate to elliptic , 8-18 mm; lower sepals 2, similar to lateral sepals; upper petals 2, spurred, enclosed in upper sepal, nectary inside tip of spur; lower petals 2, plane , ± ovate, ± 2-lobed, clawed, 2-12 mm, nectary absent; stamens 25-40; filaments with base expanded; staminodes absent between stamens and pistils; pistils 3(-5), simple ; ovules 8-20 per pistil; style present. Fruits follicles, aggregate, sessile, ± curved-cylindric, sides prominently veined or not; beak terminal, straight, 2-4 mm. Seeds dark brown to black (often appearing white because of air in seed coat cells ), rectangular to pyramidal , often ± rough surfaced. x = 8.

Species ca. 300: n temperate and arctic subtropical and, in Eastern Hemisphere, tropical mountains (s of equator in Africa) .

Three Eurasian species of Delphinium -- D . elatum Linnaeus, D . grandiflorum Linnaeus, and D . tatsienense Franchet--have been commonly cultivated in North America. Of the nonnative taxa, only D . elatum is sporadically naturalized , as far as is known. Isolating mechanisms in Delphinium appear to be primarily ecological, geographic, and/or temporal . Where these distinctions are disrupted, introgression often exists. Hybridization occurs regularly between certain taxa, particularly in areas of disturbance (e.g. , roadcuts, drainage ditches, clearcuts) . The more common and easily recognized hybrids are included in the key .

Many names have been misapplied in Delphinium . The few misapplied names mentioned in discussions below refer to relatively widespread problems.Michael J. Warnock "Delphinium". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Physical Description

Species Delphinium robustum

Stems 100-200(-250) cm; base sometimes reddish, glabrous , glaucous. Leaves cauline, 12-22, absent from proximal 1/5 of stem at anthesis ; petiole 5-13 cm. Leaf blade round to pentagonal , 7-12 × 10-20 cm, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 5-15, width 6-30 mm, tips gradually tapered to mucronate apex; midcauline leaf lobes more than 3 times longer than wide. Inflorescences 40-90(-180) -flowered; pedicel 0.5-2 cm, puberulent ; bracteoles 4-6 mm from flowers, green to purple, linear , 5-8 mm, puberulent. Flowers: sepals bluish purple to pale lavender, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals ± forward pointing, 9-14 × 4-6 mm, spurs slightly decurved , 30-45° above horizontal, dark blue, 10-13 mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 5-7 mm, clefts 2-3 mm; hairs centered, mostly on inner lobes near base of cleft, yellow to white. Fruits 13-18 mm, 3-4 times longer than wide, puberulent. Seeds wing-margined; seed coat cells elongate , surfaces smooth . [source]

Delphinium robustum is the representative of the southern Cordilleran complex from the Jemez, San Antonio, San Juan, San Pedro, and Sangre de Cristo mountains. Hybrids are known with D. sapellonis. [source]

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: The flower has five petals which grow together to form a hollow flower with a spur at the end. Blooms in late spring to late summer. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. • Bloom Period: May, June, July.

Foliage: Deeply lobed with 3-7 toothed , pointed lobes .

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 12-18" tall.

Landscaping

Care: Deer resistant. Heat tolerant . Use slug bait as needed. Work bone meal around the plants . Treat mildew with a mildew spray or dusting sulfur. When flowers fade, cut spikes just above foliage , leaving a foot of old stem.

Habitat

Riparian woodlands, subalpine meadows; of conservation concern; 2200-3000 m (Ref. 86701).

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 12-15" apart. Allow seedheads to dry on plant before collection . Propate from seed by directly sowing outdoors in fall or using a coldframe or unheated greenhouse in winter. Finish planting by mid-April.

Soil: Prefers cool, rich, moist soil with a summer mulch. Needs good winter drainage .

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.

Moisture: Water Requirements: Irrigate flowering plants freely at their base . Sprinkling may cause mildew .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Bull . Torrey Bot. Club 28:276. 1901

Name verified on 01-Apr-1998 by ARS Systematic Botanists.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Delphinium

There are approximately 1770 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

D. 'A.J. Moir' · D. 'Abendleuchten' · D. 'After Midnight' · D. 'Agnes Brookes' · D. 'Ailsa' · D. 'Alice Artindale' · D. 'Alie Duyvensteyn' · D. 'Alison Claire' · D. 'Alphonse Karr' · D. 'Amadeus' · D. 'Ambrose Woods' · D. 'Amos Perry' · D. 'Amour' · D. 'Angela Harbutt' · D. 'Ann Woodfield' · D. 'Anne Kenrick' · D. 'Anne Page' · D. 'Antares' · D. 'Aphrodite' · D. 'Apollo' · D. 'Ariel' · D. 'Astolat' (Delphinium) · D. 'Atholl' · D. 'Audrey Mott' · D. 'Augenweide' · D. 'Baby Doll' · D. 'Barbara Nason' · D. 'Bareighteen' · D. 'Barfifteen' · D. 'Bartwentyfive' · D. 'Bartwentyfour' · D. 'Bartwo' · D. 'Basil Clitheroe' · D. 'Berghimmel' (Delphinium) · D. 'Beryl Burton' · D. 'Betty Baseley' · D. 'Black Arrow' · D. 'Black Pearl' · D. 'Blackberry Ice' · D. 'Blackbird' · D. 'Blaustrahl' · D. 'Blauwal' · D. 'Blondie' · D. 'Blue Arrow' · D. 'Blue Bedder' · D. 'Blue Belladona' · D. 'Blue Bird' · D. 'Blue Boy' · D. 'Blue Butterfly' · D. 'Blue Cockade' · D. 'Blue Dawn' · D. 'Blue Gown' · D. 'Blue Heaven' · D. 'Blue Hex' · D. 'Blue Jay' · D. 'Blue Lace' · D. 'Blue Lagoon' · D. 'Blue Max Arrow' · D. 'Blue Mirror' · D. 'Blue Monarch' · D. 'Blue Nile' · D. 'Blue Oasis' · D. 'Blue Princess' · D. 'Blue Queen' · D. 'Blue Skies' · D. 'Blue Tit' · D. 'Blue Triumph' · D. 'Blue Triumphator' · D. 'Bluestone' · D. 'Bridesmaid' · D. 'Browne's Lavender' · D. 'Bruce' · D. 'Bryce' · D. 'Butterball' · D. 'Cambria' · D. 'Can-Can' · D. 'Capella' · D. 'Carl Topping' · D. 'Carol Fishenden' · D. 'Caroline's Eye' · D. 'Carrie' · D. 'Cassius' · D. 'Cecilia' · D. 'Celebration' · D. 'Centurion Sky Blue' · D. 'Ceylon' · D. 'Charles Gregory Broan' · D. 'Charles' · D. 'Chelsea Star' · D. 'Cher' · D. 'Cherry Blossom' (Delphinium) · D. 'Cherub' · D. 'China Blue' · D. 'Christel' · D. 'Christopher Harbutt' · D. 'Cinderella' · D. 'Circe' · D. 'Clack's Choice' · D. 'Claire' · D. 'Clare Courant'

Bibliography

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More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 19, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

Last Revised: 2008-08-11