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Delphinium
is from the Latin "delphinus", "Dolphin", for the resemblance of the flower buds to a pod of Dolphins leaping.
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Delphinium
is from the Latin "delphinus", "Dolphin", for the resemblance of the flower buds to a pod of Dolphins leaping.
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Delphinium
robustum (Robust Larkspur) Montane.
Meadows, woodlands. Summer. Delphinium robustum is, as its name indicates, a robust plant growing from five to seven feet tall with stout glabrous stems, large leaves, and 40-90 (but up to 180) flowers per stem. These characteristics make it stand out in its montane habitat. The more common Delphinium barbeyi may exist in the same area as D. robustum, but usually it is found at higher elevations in the subalpine and alpine. When the two species are found in the same area you can be sure you are looking at D. robustum when you see the dusky colors of its flowers, especially the very light colors of the sepals. The bottom photograph at left shows the most intense colors I have found for D. robustum, but this was the only plant with such colors and even these are light compared to the vivid blues and purples of D. barbeyi. (Click to see that species.) You can also distinguish between D. barbeyi and D. robustum (as well as D. ramosum) by their inflorescence hairiness: D. barbeyi has a glandular-hairy inflorescence; D. robustum and D. ramosum have glabrous to minutely hairy, but not glandular-hairy inflorescences. In the photographs at left and immediately above, you can see the glabrous or just hairy (not glandular) nature of D. robustum's inflorescence. In the photograph at the top of the page, the long flower stems of Delphinium robustum and those of Pedicularis procera stand high above the lush vegetation at the foot of Aspens. In the western San Juans, I find that D. robustum is very often in the company of Pedicularis procera. Delphinium robustum is not without its botanical controversy: the Flora of Colorado does not even accept it as a species, indicating it is a synonym for Delphinium ramosum. Colorado Flora does not mention D. robustum. The Flora of North America, BONAP, Manual of the Plants of Colorado, and Flora Neomexicana III give D. robustum species status and indicate, as does the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, that the plant is rare in Colorado and New Mexico (see the map below). Note that most photographs on this page were taken in Montezuma County, Colorado, and these photographs show new plant records for that county. The FNA indicates that D. robustum differs from D. ramosum as follows: D. robustum grows to 250 cm tall; D. ramosum to 100 cm tall. This species was described and named by Per Axel Rydberg in 1901 from specimens he collected in Colorado in 1900. Click to see the floral structure of Delphinium flowers. |
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Delphinium
robustum (Robust Larkspur) Montane.
Meadows, woodlands. Summer. Delphinium robustum flowers vary through various shades of light purple and light blue. The top photograph at left was taken in Montezuma County, Colorado, and along with most other photographs on this page, is a new record for that county. The second photograph at left is also a county record, this time for San Miguel County, Colorado. |
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Delphinium
robustum (Robust Larkspur) Montane.
Meadows, woodlands. Summer. Deeply incised leaves usually number 12-22 per stem and are said to be absent from the lower fifth of the stem at flowering time, but I find the stem evenly leafed. The leaves are quite large, measuring 7-12 × 10-20 cm, on petioles 5-13 cm long.
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Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Delphinium robustum |
Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state
Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Eradicated
Questionable presence