Forking Larkspur
Encyclopedia
Consolida regalis, common name: Royal Knight's-spur or Forking Larkspur, is an annual
herbaceous
plant belonging to the genus Consolida
of the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae
).
is a cluster with 5-8 hermaphrodite flowers. They are dark blue or purple, with five sepal
s. The upper sepal
is prolonged in a spur of 15–18 mm (0.590551181102362–0.708661417322835 ) long, pointing toward the back. Stamen
s are 8-10. The flowering period extends from May through August. The flowers are pollinated by hymenoptera
and lepidoptera
and the seeds ripen from June through September. All plant parts are poisonous in large doses, especially the seeds, that contain up to 1.4% of alkaloids.
and Europe
. It is widespread in the central and southern Europe
, but it has become quite rare for the increased use of herbicides and intensive soil cultivation.
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plant belonging to the genus Consolida
Consolida
Consolida is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native from western Europe through the Mediterranean region east to central Asia...
of the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae
Ranunculaceae
Ranunculaceae are a family of about 1700 species of flowering plants in about 60 genera, distributed worldwide....
).
Description
Consolida regalis reaches on average 30–80 cm (11.8–31.5 ) of height. The stem is erect, hairy and very branched at the top. The roots grow into the soil up to a depth of 50 centimetres (19.7 in), so the plant can survive long periods of drought. The leaves are alternately arranged. The inflorescenceInflorescence
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...
is a cluster with 5-8 hermaphrodite flowers. They are dark blue or purple, with five sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s. The upper sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
is prolonged in a spur of 15–18 mm (0.590551181102362–0.708661417322835 ) long, pointing toward the back. Stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s are 8-10. The flowering period extends from May through August. The flowers are pollinated by hymenoptera
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees and ants. There are over 130,000 recognized species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and...
and lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
and the seeds ripen from June through September. All plant parts are poisonous in large doses, especially the seeds, that contain up to 1.4% of alkaloids.
Gallery
Distribution
This plant is native to western AsiaAsia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is widespread in the central and southern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, but it has become quite rare for the increased use of herbicides and intensive soil cultivation.