Delphinium ramosum Rydb.

  • Authority

    New York Botanical Garden. Herbarium of Dr. Per Axel Rydberg. Purchased, 1899. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden.

  • Family

    Ranunculaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Delphinium ramosum Rydb.

  • Description

    Species Description - A tall perennial, often 2 m. high. Stem glabrous and shining up to the inflorescence, often tinged purplish or bluish: petioles 1-1.5 dm. long; leaf-blade glabrous above, finely puberulent beneath, divided near the base into 5-7 segments, which are 4-7 cm. long, oblanceolate or obovate, cuneate in outline, unequally 3-cleft and these segments again cleft into oblong or lanceolate lobes 3-6 mm. broad: inflorescence with slender branches, these sparingly and finely puberulent: bracts linear-subulate, 5-10 mm. long: pedicels slender, 1-3 cm. long: bracdets filiform, 2-5 mm. long, inserted 2-5 mm. below the calyx: sepals dark blue, striately nerved, slightly brownish at the base, about 1 cm. long, ovate; the upper and lower ones acute; the lateral ones obtuse, all puberulent: spur about 1 cm. long, straight, or slightly curved at the apex: upper petals dirty-white, tinged with brown and blue, about 8 mm. long: spur slender, almost 1 cm. long: lateral petals dark blue, bearded, with a slender claw, somewhat corniculate, bent at right angles and only slightly 2-lobed at the apex: follicles 3, 12-15 mm. long, somewhat spreading and with divaricate beaks.

  • Discussion

    This species has without doubt been included in D. scopidorum, but is evidently distinct from the type of that species. It is taller, with more branched inflorescence, glabrous stem and the flowers are usually tinged with brown at the base. The type of D. scopuloriim has narrow, very acute and divergent lobes of the leaves and the calyx is purely dark blue. D. ramosum grows at an altitude of 2000-3000 m.

    Colorado : North Cheyenne Caiion, 1896, E. A. Besset (type) ; also in Williams Caiion, Artists Glen and other places near Pikes Peak; "Colorado," 1889), Alice Eastwood

  • Distribution

    Colorado

    Colorado United States of America North America|