16 BULLETIN 365_, U. S, DEPAETMENT OP AGEICULTUEE. 



Delphinium menziesii D. C. 



Delphinium Tneneiesii (PI. II, fig. 2, and Pis. Ill and XIII) is 

 a perennial, growing from a cluster of small tuberous roots from 

 which the stem is easily detached. The stem is slender, simple, and 

 puberulent. The leaves are deeply cleft into segments which are 

 linear in form. The flowers are deep violet-blue in color, on slender 

 pedicels, and arranged in a loose raceme. There may be as few 

 as four to six flowers, but they are more numerous on thrifty plants 

 growing in favorable locations. 



Delphinium menziesii grows at altitudes of from 4,000 to 12,000 

 feet. It is found on open hillsides and in parks, growing in great 

 abundance. The picture of Pass Creek Park (PL III) gives an 

 idea of the number of plants found in that locality. ^^Hien they were 

 in blossom the surface of Pass Creek Park as seen from a neighbor- 

 ing hill presented a uniform blue appearance. In June, 1908, Su- 

 pervisor Kreutzer, of the Gunnison National Forest, with the senior 

 author, picked and counted 1,310 of the plants in blossom on a square 

 rod near Crystal Creek, Gunnison County. 



Delphinium menziesii is widely distributed, being found from 

 the Rocky Mountains to California and Oregon, and from Alberta 

 to New Mexico. It appears soon after the snow has melted, and at 

 high altitudes the plants may be found growing in immediate prox- 

 imity to snow banks. It grows to a foot in height and the blossoms 

 appear about the middle of May, the time of blossoming varying with 

 the advancement of the season and the altitude. The seeds, which 

 are formed the last of June, are immediately shed and the plant dies 

 down and disappears. After the first week in July the plant is very 

 rare except at the highest altitudes at which it grows. 



Delphinium bicolor Nutt. 



Delphinium hicolor is a perennial growing from long fibrous 

 fascicled roots. The stem is glabrous or pubescent, and the leaves 

 deeply cut into linear lobes. The rather stout stem is short, not ex- 

 ceeding 12 or 15 inches in height. The raceme has a few flowers much 

 larger than those of Delphinium menziesii and of a deep violet-blue 

 color. It is one of the most beautiful of the American larkspurs. 



It grows at a lower altitude than Delphinium, menziesii and, so far 

 as observed, never in such dense masses. Its range is given as from 

 Washington and Oregon to South Dakota. It is the common low 

 larkspur in Montana, and like D. menziesii^ blossoms about the 

 middle of May and disappears early in July. 



DETECTION OF LARKSPUR SPECIES IN STOMACH CONTENTS. 



In connection with these studies cases of poisoning not infre- 

 quentlj^ occur in which the cause of death can not be determined 



I 



