Delphinium bicolor Nutt.
Flathead Larkspur
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© RĂ©al Sarrazin     (Photo ID #27000)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Delphinium bicolor
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Delphinium bicolor ssp. bicolor

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from fibrous, many-branched roots; stems erect, 10-40 cm tall, glabrous to minutely-hairy, bases often reddish.
Leaves:
Mostly on lower stem, at time of flowering the basal leaves 2 to 7 and stem leaves 3 to 6, stalks 0.3-8 cm long, blades rounded, 1-4 cm long, 1.5-7 cm wide, reduced upward, 3- to 4-times dissected into linear segments, the ultimate segments 3 to 19 and 1-8 mm wide on basal leaves, 1-3 mm wide on stem leaves, entire, glabrous to minutely-hairy.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a 3- to 12-flowered, terminal raceme, the flowers bilaterally symmetric; bracts linear, 4-6 (8) mm long, minutely-hairy; flower stalks ascending to spreading, 1-4 cm long, somewhat minutely-hairy; petals 4, the upper 2 united, white or pale blue, purple-lined, spurred, enclosed in upper sepal, nectary inside spur, the lower petals 2, dark blue, covering stamens, clawed, 7-12 mm long, 2-lobed, cleft 0.1-2 mm, the hairs sparse, short, white, mostly on inner lobes on claw; sepals 5, dark blue to purple, the lateral two spreading, 16-21 mm long, 6-11 mm wide, the lower two similar to lateral, the upper one spurred, the spur straight to gently curved downward, 13-18 mm long; stamens 25 to 40; pistils 3 (-5).
Fruits:
Follicles, 16-22 mm long, 4- to 4.5-times longer than wide, usually minutely-hairy; beaks straight, about 3 mm long; seeds obpyramidal, dark, often winged, smooth. Note Toxic; known to cause livestock poisoning.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Delphinium bicolor

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
1031 490 2380
Slope Gradient (%)
25 0 70

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

183 72 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 0 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
76
Modal BEC Zone Class
PP

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BG(11), ESSF(4), ICH(1), IDF(18), PP(31)

Habitat and Range

Dry grasslands, shrublands, rocky slopes and forests from the steppe to subalpine zones; rare in SE BC; E to SK and S to SD and WY.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia