The larkspurs of New Mexico 
ELMER OTTIS WooToN 
Until quite recently the species of Delphinium found in New 
Mexico have all been referred to D. azureum Michx., D. scopu- 
lorum Gray, or D. occidentalis Wats., with a general tendency to 
call all the large forms D. scopulorum, 1 myself have been respon- 
sible for sending out at least two very different plants under that 
name, neither of which was close to true D. scopulorum. Dr. P. A. 
Rydberg, Dr. Aven Nelson, and Professor T. D. A. Cockerell have 
each contributed something towards a proper understanding of the 
genus as it occurs in this Territory, but they have been concerned 
with other questions than the New Mexican species and have 
touched them only incidentally. 
Recently I had occasion to name a specimen from the Black 
Range, and in comparing it with our herbarium material my “eyes 
were opened” and I saw that there were various and different speci- 
mens labeled D. scopulorum, more forms than could properly be- 
long in what Dr. Gray called ‘‘a collective species.” Whether 
these various different kinds of plants are to be called different 
species, varieties, or races is a question which has not yet been 
decided, but it seems to me proper to call attention to the differ- 
ences which I think can be seen by any one who is sufficiently 
interested to look, and I shall follow my own solution of the above 
question and call them species. Others may do as they like in 
designating the degrees of differentiation. 
Through the kindness of Dr. J. N. Rose I was permitted to exam- 
ine the New Mexican specimens of this genus that are found in the 
National Herbarium, Among these are Wright's wo. 842, which 
is the type of D. scopulorum Gray, and Pringle’s no, 7184, the 
type of D. tenutsectum Greene, besides several other interesting 
and instructive specimens. 
Our herbarium contains about one hundred sheets, more than 
half of which are from New Mexico. * A critical examination of 
this and the National Herbarium material, along wich the literature 
of the subject, has led to the following conclusions. 
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