''Delphinium variegatum'' is a species of larkspur known by the common name royal larkspur. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, where it grows in mountains, valley and coast in

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with woody plants (trees and shrubs), or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunli ...

s and

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

s. On the forest floor of California oak woodlands typical plant associates are '' Calochortus luteus'', '' Cynoglossum grande'' and '' Calochortus amabilis''.

Description

This erect wildflower may reach half a meter in maximum height. Its leaves have deep lobes which may overlap. The long petioles are hairy. The branching

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

holds up to 25 widely spaced flowers, which are usually bright deep blue, and occasionally lighter blue or white, depending on subspecies. The spur is between one and two centimeters long.

Subspecies

There are three generally accepted subspecies. *ssp. ''kinkiense'' *ssp. ''thornei'' *ssp. ''kinkiensis'' Two of them, ssp. ''kinkiense'' and ssp. ''thornei'', are endemic to

San Clemente Island San Clemente Island (Tongva: ''Kinkipar''; Spanish: ''Isla de San Clemente'') is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. It is administer ...

, one of the Channel Islands of California. Ssp. ''kinkiensis'', which is sometimes called ''Delphinium kinkiense'' ssp. ''kinkiense'', is treated as 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, inv ...

. Although it is in fact rarer than ssp. ''kinkiensis'', ssp. ''thornei'' does not have a federal or state listing.Center for Plant Conservation Unlike the other two subspecies, ssp. ''kinkiensis'' sometimes bears white flowers. Blue-flowered individuals are difficult to differentiate from ssp. ''thornei''.

Notes

References

California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile

Center for Plant Conservation: ssp. ''thornei''
* C. Michael Hogan. 2009
''Gold Nuggets: Calochortus luteus'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
* ''Jepson Manual''. 1993
''Delphinium variegatum''

External links

Calflora Database: ''Delphinium variegatum'' (royal larkspur) Jepson eFlora (TJM2): ''Delphinium variegatum''Center for Plant Conservation: ''Delphinium variegatum'' ssp. ''kinkiensis''UC Photos gallery − ''Delphinium variegatum''
variegatum Endemic flora of California Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Central Valley (California) Critically endangered flora of California Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Ranunculaceae-stub