164 RANUNCULACEAE (CROWFOOT FAMILY) 



varying to white; the spur is long, and usually lies horizontally 

 with the tip tilted upward; four petals shorter than the sepals, 

 the lower two densely bearded within. Follicles in threes, about 

 an inch long, covered with fine down, and tipped with an awl -like 

 beak ; they are held erect or very slightly spreading, their pedicels 

 close to the stalk. Seeds about a tenth of an inch long, angled, 

 and roughened with transverse wrinkles. 



Means of control the same as for Dwarf Larkspur. 



TALL MOUNTAIN LARKSPUR 

 Delphinium glaucum, S. Wats. 



Other English names: Cow Poison, Smooth Larkspur, Large Lark- 

 spur. 



Native. Perennial. Propagates by seeds. 



Time of bloom: June to August. 



Seed-time: August to October. 



Range: California, Idaho, and Montana, northward to Alaska. 



Habitat: Foothills and mountain valley pastures to an altitude of 

 about nine thousand feet. 



The chief sufferers from this noxious plant are cattle, since sheep 

 are seldom driven to the mountain pastures before July and by that 

 time the plant has grown too large and coarse for their cropping 

 and is besides less virulent than in its younger stages. It is when 

 the tufted base leaves first appear in April and May that they are 

 most dangerous and also most succulent and tempting to stock- 

 Frequently the danger is increased by the fall of light spring snows, 

 which cover the young grass, and the Larkspur's taller foliage is 

 the only forage showing green above the snow. 



Stem four to seven feet tall, stout, simple, ridged, and covered 

 with a white bloom (glaucous). The base leaves which first rise 

 from the thick, woody roots are long-petioled, smooth, glaucous, 

 four to six inches broad, rounded in outline, five- to seven-lobed, 

 the segments rather broad, long-pointed, and deeply cut ; the 

 lower stem leaves are smaller, with fewer lobes, becoming simple 

 and lance-shaped as they ascend the stalk. Raceme terminal, 

 long and slender, the flowers numerous, rather small, pale blue or 

 white. Follicles in threes, smooth, erect, tipped with a short 

 beak ; the seeds are black. 



