TALL LARKSPUR. 65 



TALL LARKSPUR. 



{Delphinium glcmcum S. Wats.) 



DESCRIPTION, HABITAT, AND DISTRIBUTION. 



The common tall larkspur (PI. II) of Montana (erroneously called 

 aconite) is a simple-stemmed perennial, 4 to 7 feet high, which is 

 smooth throughout and covered during most of its growth with an 

 easily erasable white coating like that commonly observed on ripe 

 plums. Before flowering time the succulent basal leaves become long- 

 stemmed and form tufts which about the 1st of June are a foot or so 

 in height and of nearly the same diameter. In general the lower leaves 

 are large and geranium-like, being broadly circular in outline, and 4 

 to 6 inches in diameter, with broad segments having lance-shaped 

 extremities; the upper floral leaves lance-shaped, simple, and very 

 much smaller. The numerous flowers are of a pale-blue color, and 

 are ari-anged in long slender terminal racemes. ' The seed capsules are 

 three-lobed and smooth, the seeds black. 



This species of larkspur is easily distinguished from the purple 

 larkspur, which is the other common species in the State, by the great 

 difference in the shape of their leaves and the color of their flowers. 

 The tall larkspur has the flowers considerably smaller than those of 

 the purple larkspur and arranged in a long, close terminal spike. The 

 plant with which this species is most likeh" to be confused is the wild 

 geranium (PI. Ill), but the danger is confined to the early part of the 

 season before the flowers are developed. After the flowers of the 

 larkspur and geranium appear, the two plants are easily distinguished 

 by the casual obsei*ver. In the earlier stage some help may be obtained 

 in distinguishing between them by carefully observing the appearance 

 of the leaves. Those of the tall larkspur are almost, if not quite, 

 perfectly smooth, while those of the geranium are always more or less 

 hairy. Although these two plants grow in the same situations and 

 are frequently found intermingled, a little experience with special 

 attention devoted to noting the leaf characters will enable one to dis- 

 tinguish them at a glance, even from a considerable distance. 



The tall larkspur has a rather wide distribution in the State. Its 

 preferred habitat seems to be rich and moderately moist half-shaded 

 localities, especially on slopes of foothills or mountains and among 

 underbrush along streams. It is found in valleys and up to a height 

 of 9,000 feet. When growing in the higher altitudes, the color of the 

 tlowers is usually a much darker blue than when growing in lower 

 altitudes, and the height of the plant is less. Otherwise no striking 

 differences are noticed due to situation or altitude. The tall larkspur 

 grows very abundantly in the Big Belt and Little Belt Mountains, 

 Big Snowy, Crazy, and Bridger Mountains, Grallatin Range, Absaroka, 

 S. Doc. 160 5 



