Delphinium subsect. Virescens

M. J. Warnock

Phytologia 78: 85. 1995.

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Roots 2-8-branched, fusiform, fascicled, 3-8 (-15) cm, ± fleshy; buds minute. Stems 1 (-2) per root, usually unbranched, elongation delayed 4-16 weeks after leaf initiation; base not narrowed, firmly attached to root. Leaves basal and cauline, largest near base of stem, others often 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 with 3-8 flowers per 5 cm, ± dense, cylindric; pedicel appressed-ascending, usually less than 2 cm; bracts markedly smaller and fewer lobed than leaves. Fruits erect. Seeds crescent-shaped to obpyramidal, 1.5-2.5 × 0.8-1.8 mm, not ringed, not wing-margined; seed-coats with prominent multicellular, transverse, wavy ridges, cells ± brick-shaped, cell margins straight.

Distribution

North America, n Mexico

Discussion

Species 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Sepals white to lavender, reflexed; leaves grayish pubescent with short hairs. Delphinium wootonii
1 Sepals white to blue; if lavender, then not reflexed and leaves not grayish pubescent. > 2
2 Plants with combination of midcauline leaf blades round with at least 7 lobes more than 3/10 length of longest lobe; sepals dark to light blue; distalmost petiole immediately below inflorescence at least 1 cm long. Delphinium madrense
2 Plants deviating in at least one feature from combination above; sepals purple to blue to white; distalmost petiole immediately below inflorescence less than 0.5(–1) cm long. Delphinium carolinianum

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

Michael J. Warnock +
M. J. Warnock +
usually larger +
not narrowed +
expanded +
straight +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
smaller +
subopposite-subalternate +
minute +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
globose;cylindric +
multicellular +
straight +
brick--shaped +  and wavy +
North America +  and n Mexico +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
showy +  and inconspicuous +
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 />) +
multicellular +
brick--shaped;wavy +
smaller +
appressed-ascending +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
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 />) +
multicellular +
straight +
brick--shaped +  and wavy +
2-8-branched +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
fusiform +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
not wing-margined +
dark-brown +  and black +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
not ringed +
crescent-shaped +  and obpyramidal +
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
yellow;red;yellow;red;white;purple;blue +
not persistent +
distinct +
3 +  and 6 +
not +  and veined +
persistent +
Delphinium subsect. Virescens +
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 +