Kern County Larkspur

Delphinium purpusii is not likely to be confused with any other Delphinium in North America. Hybrids with Delphinium hansenii subsp. kernense are known to occur.

Stems (30-)50-80(-120) cm; base reddish or not, nearly glabrous. Leaves mostly on proximal 1/2 of stem; basal leaves 3-5 at anthesis; cauline leaves 4-12 at anthesis; petiole 3-17 cm. Leaf blade round, 1.5-6 × 2-10 cm, ± puberulent; ultimate lobes 0-5, width 5-30(-50) mm (basal), 5-20(-40) mm (cauline). Inflorescences (8-)12-20(-32)-flowered, ± cylindric; pedicel ± ascending, (0.5-)1-4(-5) cm, glandular-puberulent; bracteoles 1-6 mm from flowers, green to magenta, linear, 2-4 mm, glandular-puberulent. Flowers: sepals magenta to rose, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals reflexed, 10-16 × 3-7 mm, spurs straight, 30-45° above horizontal, (10-)14-19 mm; lower petal blades nearly coplanar with claws, exposing stamens, 3-4 mm, clefts 0.5-1.5 mm; hairs sparse, scattered, white. Fruits (11-)18-29 mm, 4-4.5 times longer than wide, glabrous. Seeds: seed coats with small wavy ridges, cells brick-shaped, cell margins undulate, surfaces smooth. 2 n = 16.

Calif.

Flowering spring.

Talus, cliffs, on and near large boulders; of conservation concern; 300-1300m.

Delphinium purpusii is a rare species of larkspur known by the common names Kern County larkspur and rose-flowered larkspur. It is endemic to California where it is known only from Kern and Tulare Counties in the region where the Sierra Nevada meets the Mojave Desert. It grows on rocky cliffs and talus. This wildflower reaches between one half and one meter in height. The erect thin stem has deeply lobed leaves around the base and a small, narrow inflorescence of generally ten to 20 flowers at the top. The flowers of this species are bright pink, making it unusual among the mainly blue-flowered plants of this genus. The sepals curl either forward or back.