Delphinium subsect. Wislizenana

M. J. Warnock

Madroño 31: 243. 1984.

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Roots 3-8-branched, (5-) 15-24 (-80) cm, twisted fibrous, dry to fleshy, thin threadlike segments apparent nearly entire length; buds sometimes more than 3 mm, usually absent during dormant season. Stems 1 (-4) per root, usually unbranched, elongation delayed 2-10 weeks after leaf initiation; base usually not narrowed, firmly attached to root; proximal internodes much shorter than those of midstem. Leaves basal and cauline, largest near base of stem, others usually abruptly smaller on distal portion of stem; basal petioles spreading, cauline petioles ascending; basal leaves more rounded and with fewer, wider lobes than cauline leaves. Inflorescences usually 2-9 flowers per 5 cm, open to dense, cylindric-narrow-pyramidal, spurs rarely intersecting rachis; pedicel spreading to ascending, often more than 2 cm, rachis to midpedicel angle more than 30°; bracts usually smaller and fewer lobed than leaves. Fruits erect. Seeds rectangular to crescent-shaped, 2-3.5 × 1.3-2.5 mm, not ringed on proximal end, wing-margined or not; seed-coats ± covered with small irregular wavy ridges, cells short (less than 3 times longer than wide), cell margins usually straight.

Distribution

North America, Mexico

Discussion

Species 12 (5 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Sepals red. Delphinium cardinale
1 Sepals bluish or purplish, rarely white, extremely rarely pink, not red. > 2
2 Flowers ± bright blue, sepals with lighter median line adaxially; leaf blade light green, veins obscure; leaf lobe apex gradually tapering to point. > 3
2 Flowers purple to blue (if bright blue, then lower stems glabrous), sepal color ± uniform; leaf blade dark green, at least adaxially, veins prominent; leaf lobe apex abruptly tapered, usually mucronate. > 4
3 Leaf blade sparsely puberulent; stems more than (40–)70 cm. Delphinium stachydeum
3 Leaf blade densely puberulent; stems less than 60(–80) cm. Delphinium geyeri
4 Midstems and leaf blades pubescent; sepals dark blue to purple. Delphinium geraniifolium
4 Midstems and leaf blades glabrous to subglabrous; sepals bright dark blue. Delphinium scopulorum

"/" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."entire" is not a number."thin" is not a number.

Michael J. Warnock +
M. J. Warnock +
usually larger +
narrowed +
expanded +
straight +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
smaller +
subopposite-subalternate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
globose;cylindric +
North America +  and Mexico +
showy +  and inconspicuous +
cylindric-narrow-pyramidal +
sessile +  and aggregate +
curved-cylindric +
axillary +  and terminal +
less ovate +  and elliptic +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
round +  and pentagonal or reniform +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
cauline +  and basal +
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 +
incised;toothed;incised;toothed;entire +
smaller +
spreading +  and ascending +
distinct +
conspicuous +
spurred +, funnel--shaped +, cup-shaped +  and plane +
reduced +
2-100-flowered +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
3-8-branched +
24 cm240 mm <br />0.24 m <br /> (80 cm800 mm <br />0.8 m <br />) +
tuberlike +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (24 cm240 mm <br />0.24 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
not +  and wing-margined +
dark-brown +  and black +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
not ringed +
rectangular +  and crescent-shaped +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
thread-like +
yellow;red;yellow;red;white;purple;blue +
not persistent +
distinct +
3 +  and 6 +
not +  and veined +
persistent +
Delphinium subsect. Wislizenana +
Delphinium sect. Diedropetala +
subsection +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.4 cm24 mm <br />0.024 m <br />) +
herbaceous +  and woody +