Delphinium nortonii Dunn

Post-publication: redescription (see Acta Phytotax. Sin. 42(1): 94. 2004): Herbs perennial, 7-12 cm tall, densely spreading puberulent, especially so above. Stems 1 to several. Leaves long petiolate; petiole 2-4 cm, base shortly vaginate; blade orbicular; radical leaves 2-3 cm long and broad, palmately 3-sect; segments flabellate, obviously imbricate, palmately incised into obtuse lobes. Cauline leaves few or even absent, similar to radical leaves but smaller. Flower solitary, terminal, large, violet, inflated-globose, long pubescent outside. Pedicel 4-5 cm; bracteoles near middle of pedicel, linear or palmatifid, 5-10 X 2-10 mm. Upper sepal broadly ovate, ca. 2.5 X 1.8 cm, apex obtuse; spur cylindric-subulate, 1.1-1.9 cm X 5-7 mm at base; lateral sepals asymmetrically elliptic-ovate, ca. 1.8 X 1.5 cm, apex subrounded; lower sepals elliptic, ca. 2 X 1 cm, apex broadly cuneate. Petals nearly straight; limb ca. 1.5 cm X 3 mm, somewhat emarginate at blunt apex, spur 1-1.4 cm. Staminode black-brown, bifid, yellow barbate. Filaments glabrous, 7-8 mm. Carpels 3; ovary densely velutinous. Fl. Jun.

Stem 12--22 cm tall, retrorsely puberulent, simple or 1-branched. Leaf blade 16--30 cm wide, base cordate; primary lobes separate for at least 90% of blade radius; central lobe linear and undivided, or rhombic and 3-parted nearly to midvein, distally undivided or 1- or 2-lobulate, apex acute; ultimate lobules linear-lanceolate or linear; proximal leaves usually withered. Flower solitary, terminal; pedicel 3--7 cm; bracteoles borne proximally or near middle of pedicel, linear, 0.9--2.5 cm. Sepals blue, abaxially puberulent; spur cylindric-subulate, 1.7--1.9 cm, base 3--4 mm in diam.; other sepals 1.7--1.8 cm. Petals emarginate, glabrous. Staminode limb elliptic-obovate, 2-cleft, yellowish barbate. Filaments pilose. Carpels 3; ovaries densely villous. Fl. Jul.

S Xizang [Nepal, Sikkim].

Alpine meadows; 4500--5000 m.

Delphinium caeruleum Jacquemont var. tenuicaule Brühl ex Huth; D. grandiflorum Linnaeus var. tenuicaule (Brühl ex Huth) Brühl.