Sierra larkspur is a tall poisonous perennial herb of the buttercup 

 family (Ranunculaceae). The specific name is derived from the 

 Greek word glaucon, meaning bluish, and refers to the bluish, waxy 

 bloom which usually covers the herbage of this plant. The species 

 is commonly found in the mountains of California to western 

 Nevada and northward to the Yukon River. This larkspur, typi- 

 cally a plant of the high elevations (6,000 to 9.000 feet), is found 

 in a variety of sites, but prefers rich, moist, shaded soils, along 

 streams and in alpine meadows. 



Sierra larkspur is poisonous to cattle and horses, but apparently 

 is not injurious to sheep. Although all parts of the young plants, 

 except perhaps the flowers, are jxoisonous, these toxic properties 

 disappear subsequent to the blooming stage and maturity. Unfor- 

 tunately, cattle relish California larkspur in the early spring, when 

 the young and succulent plants are particularly toxic and other 

 forage is scarce. Accordingly, the practical method of preventing 

 losses is to prohibit this class of livestock from grazing infested 

 areas until late summer, when this larkspur is no longer harmful. 



The early symptoms of poisoning are similar to those produced 

 by deathcamas the animal's muscles stiffen and the gait becomes 

 irregular; later, the front legs give way, and the animal falls, usu- 

 ally with muscles quivering. The animal kicks violently before 

 death ensues. Poisoned animals become constipated, but usually 

 recover if this condition is relieved. Bloating occurs in some cases. 

 When the poisoning is sufficiently severe to produce fatal results, 

 death ordinarily follows in a very short time. 1 In the treatment 

 of larkspur poisoning, the animal's head is kept higher than the 

 body and all unnecessary exercise prohibited. An injection, with a 

 hypodermic syringe, is made of the following solution: 1 grain 

 physostigmin salicylate; 2 grains pilocarpin hydrochlorid ; y 2 grain 

 strychnin sulfate. This formula would apply to an animal weigh- 

 ing 500 or 600 pounds. For a large animal or 1,000 pounds the dose 

 should be doubled. For further details concerning this formula 

 the genus notes for Delphinium (W58) should be consulted. 



Sierra larkspur is one of the so-called tall larkspurs. It is a 

 large and showy plant, commonly from 2^ to 7 feet in height. 

 The flowers are characteristically a deep purplish blue, and the 

 ultimate leaf divisions are markedly jagged and sharp. The large 

 lower leaves, as much as 6 inches across, are 5- to 7-lpbed and some- 

 what resemble a maple or currant leaf. This species can be dis- 

 tinguished from the other tall larkspurs by the tact that the seed 

 pods are hairless, and the hairless leaves and stems are usually 

 covered with a whitish or bluish waxen bloom which easily rubs off. 



1 Marsh, C. D., Clawson, A. B., and Marsh, H. LARKSPUR OR "POISON WEED." U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. Farmers' Bull. 988, rev.. 13 pp., illus. 1934. Supersedes Bull. 531- 



