Delphinium patens is a species of larkspur known by the common names zigzag larkspur and spreading larkspur. It is a wildflower limited mainly to California. Though not yet confirmed there, it is expected in Baja California. Plants grow typically 20 to 50 centimeters tall and bear up to 36 flowers each. The stems are mostly hairless, have reddish bases, and bears leaves on the lower half. Each leaf is divided into 3 to 9 lobes. The flower has dark blue sepals, the latter ones reflexed. The spur at the back of the flower is 4 to 8 millimeters long. The cleft at the center of the flower has white or yellowish scattered hairs.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
Toxic. The note covers its whole genus. Larkspur; diterpenoid alkaloids, young plants and seeds especially Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Delphinium gracilentum — toxic
- Delphinium umbraculorum — toxic
- Delphinium decorum — toxic
- Delphinium hutchinsoniae — toxic
- Delphinium menziesii — toxic
- Delphinium parryi — toxic
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Ranunculales
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus
- Delphinium
- Species
- Delphinium patens
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