Delphinium variegatum
Encyclopedia
Delphinium variegatum is a species of larkspur
known by the common name Royal larkspur. It is endemic to California
, where it grows in mountains, valley and coast in woodland
s and grassland
s. On the forest floor of California oak woodland
s typical plant associates are Calochortus luteus
, Cynoglossum grande
and Calochortus amabilis
.
are hairy. The branching inflorescence
holds up to 25 widely spaced flowers, which are usually bright deep blue, and occasionally lighter blue or white, depending on subspecies. The spur is between one and two centimeters long.
Two of them, ssp. kinkiense and ssp. thornei, are endemic to San Clemente Island
, one of the Channel Islands of California
. Ssp. kinkiensis, which is sometimes called Delphinium kinkiense ssp. kinkiense, is treated as a federally listed endangered species
. Although it is in fact rarer than ssp. kinkiensis, ssp. thornei does not have a federal or state listing.
Unlike the other two subspecies, ssp. kinkiensis sometimes bears white flowers. Blue-flowered individuals are difficult to differentiate from ssp. thornei.
Delphinium
Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, larkspur, is shared with the closely related genus Consolida...
known by the common name Royal larkspur. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in mountains, valley and coast in woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s and grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s. On the forest floor of California oak woodland
California oak woodland
California oak woodland is a plant community found throughout the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of California in the United States and northwestern Baja California in Mexico...
s typical plant associates are Calochortus luteus
Calochortus luteus
Calochortus luteus, or Yellow mariposa lily, is a mariposa lily endemic to California.-Description:The primarily a bright deep yellow flower is 3-5cm across and perianth Bulb-shaped, lined red-brown inside, often also with central red-brown blotch and sparse hair inside.-Distribution:This species...
, Cynoglossum grande
Cynoglossum grande
Cynoglossum grande is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name Pacific hound's tongue. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in shady areas in woodland and chaparral...
and Calochortus amabilis
Calochortus amabilis
Calochortus amabilis is a species of flowering plant in the lily family which is known by the common name Diogenes' lantern. It is endemic to northern California, where it grows in the mountains north of the San Francisco Bay Area. In oak woodlands common understory plant associates are Calochortus...
.
Description
This erect wildflower may reach half a meter in maximum height. Its leaves have deep lobes which may overlap. The long petiolesPetiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
are hairy. The branching inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
holds up to 25 widely spaced flowers, which are usually bright deep blue, and occasionally lighter blue or white, depending on subspecies. The spur is between one and two centimeters long.
Subspecies
There are three generally accepted subspecies.- ssp. kinkiense
- ssp. thornei
- ssp. kinkiensis
Two of them, ssp. kinkiense and ssp. thornei, are endemic to San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block Group 2 of Census Tract 5991 of Los Angeles County, California, it is long and...
, one of the Channel Islands of California
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. Ssp. kinkiensis, which is sometimes called Delphinium kinkiense ssp. kinkiense, is treated as a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. Although it is in fact rarer than ssp. kinkiensis, ssp. thornei does not have a federal or state listing.
Unlike the other two subspecies, ssp. kinkiensis sometimes bears white flowers. Blue-flowered individuals are difficult to differentiate from ssp. thornei.