24 



Species. — There are over 25 species native to the United States. 

 Few have a very wide distribution, but some of the Western species 

 are extremely abundant in their native habitat. All share the general 

 reputation for acridity borne by the plants of this order. 



Poisonous properties. — The seed of the European stavesacre {Delphin- 

 ium staphisagria) has long been regarded as a powerful poison. The 

 seed of the commonly introduced larkspur (D. consolida) is regarded as 

 less poisonous; the leaf is reputed to be poisonous to cattle in Europe. 

 The leaf of the stavesacre has only recently been shown to be poison- 

 ous. The properties of the roots 

 of these and other species are not 

 well known. Little or no atten- 

 tion has yet been paid by Ameri- 

 can chemists to the native lark- 

 spurs, hence it is not known how 

 poisonous they are in comparison 

 with European. Their general 

 reputation as plants poisonous to 

 cattle is, however, very much more 

 pronounced. The following have 

 been reported to the Department 

 of Agriculture : 



DWARF LARKSPUR. 

 Delphinium trieorne Miclix. 



Other name : S t a g g e r - w e e d 

 (Ohio). (Fig. 9.) 



Description and habitat. — A 

 smooth, simple- stemmed peren- 

 nial, 6 to 12 inches high, with a 

 tuberous root, deeply 5-parted 

 leaves, and a long, loose cluster of 

 blue (sometimes white) flowers, 

 which appear in April and May. 

 It grows in clayey soil and open 

 woods, from Pennsylvania and the mountains of North Carolina to 

 southern Minnesota. It is especially reported from Ohio as fatal to 

 cattle in April, when the fresh leaves appear. 



-Dwarf larkspur (Delphinium trieorne), 

 one-third natural size. 



LARKSPUR. 

 Delphinium geyeri Greene. 



Description and habitat. — A somewhat hairy perennial, 10 to 20 inches 

 high, with a large spheroidal tuft of rather thick, dull-green leaves, and 

 a central column of deep azure-blue flowers. A common high prairie 



