''Delphinium bakeri'', or Baker's larkspur, is a species of

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

in the buttercup family,

Ranunculaceae Ranunculaceae (buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are ''Ranunculus'' (600 species), ''Delphinium' ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

in the United States, where it is a federally listed

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

. It is known in the wild from one remaining occurrence near Salmon Creek in Sonoma County, where only seven plants remained . ''D. bakeri'' grows from a thickened, tuber-like, fleshy cluster of roots, to a height of . The leaves occur primarily along the upper third of the stem and are green at the time the plant flowers. The flowers are irregularly shaped. It has five conspicuous

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s, bright dark blue or purplish, with the rear sepal elongated into a spur. The inconspicuous

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s occur in two pairs. The lower pair is oblong and blue-purple, the upper pair oblique and white.

Seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s are produced in several dry, many-seeded

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

s that split open at maturity on only one side. The species flowers from April through May. Baker's larkspur grows on decomposed

shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...

within coastal scrub plant community. Its range historically included the Point Reyes Peninsula and areas between

Camp Meeker Camp Meeker is an unincorporated community, Sonoma County, United States, located on the Bohemian Highway, between Occidental and Monte Rio. It has approximately 350 homes on properties ranging from a couple thousand square feet to many acres, ...

and Petaluma, California.

Near-extinction incidents caused by road crews

In July 2002, county-hired road crews mowing weeds in the critical habitat area cut down 30 to 50 Baker's larkspurs. Scientists initially believed the action may have caused the species' extinction. In October 2004, the plant was nearly made extinct in earnest by road workers using heavy machinery to unclog a roadside drain. The last remaining population of about 100 plants was reduced to five individuals.Associated Press
Rare plant nearly wiped out by work crews.
February 4, 2005.

References

External links

*
Jepson Manual Treatment
*US Fish & Wildlife News Release

March 18, 2003.
Photo gallery
bakeri Endemic flora of California Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of Sonoma County, California Endemic flora of the San Francisco Bay Area {{ranunculales-stub

Near-extinction incidents caused by road crews

See also

References

External links