''Delphinium tricorne'', known by the common names dwarf larkspur or spring larkspur, is a species of flowering plant in the

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' ...

(buttercup) family. It is native to the central and eastern United States, where it is the most common ''Delphinium'' found.

Description

''D. tricorne'' is a

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 ...

plant that grows to a height of , with a thin flowering stalk rising from a group of basal leaves. There are a few alternate leaves along the stalk. All the leaves are grayish green to green, and deeply divided into about 5 lobes that are then each divided further into 2 or 3 secondary lobes. The basal leaves are up to long and across. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is a

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

at the end of the stalk consisting of 6 to 24 flowers that are violet, blue, white, or a mixture of these colors. The flowers have 4 to 5

sepals 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 ...

and a long, narrow spur in the back. They are long.

Etymology

The genus name, ''Delphinium'', comes from the Greek word for "dolphin", and may refer to the shape of the flowers. The specific epithet, ''tricorne'', is Latin for "with three horns", which describes the shape of the fruit.

Distribution and habitat

''D. tricorne'' is native in the United States from Nebraska to the west, Pennsylvania to the east, Alabama and Mississippi to the south, and Minnesota to the north. It is found in rich mesic forests, often over

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an adje ...

rocks.

Ecology

The plant is pollinated by bumblebees and hummingbirds, and several other species of bees visit the flowers for nectar and/or pollen.

Toxicity

The diterpenoid

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

lycoctonine Lycoctonine is a plant alkaloid and a precursor to the ABC ring system of taxoid Taxoids are a class of derivatives from taxol, that is, paclitaxel. They were developed for their anticancer chemotherapeutic properties. Taxoids are usually treate ...

and tricornine (otherwise known as lycoctonine-18-O-acetate) have been isolated from ''D. tricorne''. The toxicology and pharmacology of lycoctonine have been quite well studied, but there is only limited information available concerning the biological properties of tricornine. Both alkaloids have neuro-muscular blocking properties, and ''D. tricorne'' should be treated as a potentially poisonous plant. This species has long been regarded as poisonous to livestock.V. K. Chesnut (1898) ''USDA Farmer's Bull.'' 86 11-13.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5254458 tricorne Flora of the Appalachian Mountains Flora of the Southeastern United States Flora of the Northeastern United States Flora of the North-Central United States