THE CROWFOOT FAMILY. 



175 



irregular, the posteriour one being prolonged into a long, slightly upcurved spur. 

 Petals: four; the back ones projecting a spur enclosed in that of the sepals; 

 lateral ones, small, rounded and raised on claws. Stamois: numerous. Pistils: 

 three, forming in fruit as many widely-spreading follicles tipped with a beak. 

 Leaves: with long, slightly pubescent i)etioles; palmately-divided into from three 

 to seven linear, or obovate divisions which are again cut and tO(jthcd ; bright 

 green; rather thin. Stem: one to three feet high; erect; leafy; mostly pubescent. 

 Roots: tuberous. 



A plant of unusual and dignified aspect is the dwarf larkspur as it is seen 

 growing through open, rocky woods, or cropping up along well shaded road- 

 sides. That it is generally called stagger-weed 

 is because it is poisonous to stock which in 

 April eat of its young shoots. In wreaking 

 this harm upon them, they, it would naturally 

 be supposed, stagger about as though uncon- 

 scious of their actions. The genus with its 

 beautiful members is most notably represented 

 through our range by the following individuals. 

 D. Carolinianum, Carolina larkspur, becomes 

 quite tall and is a slimmer plant than the 

 stagger-weed, — that is when they are 

 both well grown. The bright blue 

 and white flowers which it bears are 

 also rather small. Its linear leaf-seg- 

 ments are numerous and the stems 

 pubescent. In open fields, or prairies 

 the plant occurs and extends from 

 the far south northward to Manitoba. 

 D. tirceoldtum, tall larkspur, grows 

 at times taller than most men, and with 

 its large leaves cleft into lanceolate 

 segments and its very long, dense ra- 

 cemes of bIue,or purplish flowers pres- 

 ents a most striking appearance. On 

 Dciphitiium tricorne. the blossoms, which are smaller than 



those of the stagger-weed, there is a downy pubescence, and a mark of 

 distinction is their straight spurs. 



Two other species of larkspurs that are met with through our range are 

 Delphinium Consolida, the knight's spur, lark's-heel, or claw, which grows 

 in waste places mostly and has been naturalised from Europe; and Del- 

 phinium AJacis, a fugitive from gardens. The former of these two is in its 

 manner of growth, spreading or divaricately branched and bears white or 

 intensely blue flowers. The latter, commonly called Ajax's larkspur, has on 



