3G 



DELPHINIUM DIVARICATUM. 



{Straggling Delphinium.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



polyandbia POLTGYNiA. ranunculacejE. — (J uss. De Oand. Syst. Vol. 1, p. 341.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 

 (Fide fol. 14.) 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



D. divaricatum ; caule divaricatissime ramoso, pubescenti ; foliis multipartitis, laciniis 

 linearibus acutis ; floribus pedicellis brevioribus ; petalis integerrimis ; folliculis sericeis. 



Descr. — Stem very much branched and exceedingly divaricated, somewhat pubescent ; 

 leaves with many divisions divided down to the petiole, divisions linear acute ; flowers shorter 

 than the pedicels ; petals very entire ; follicles covered with silky hairs. 



Delphinium divaricatum. — Ledebour. 



This beautiful annual is a native of Caucasus, on the grassy banks of the 

 River Gandscha, where it was collected in 1834 by Mr. T. F. Hohenacker, 

 Botanical Traveller for the Unio Itineraria. When arrived at a state of maturity, 

 it forms a complete pyramid, upwards of five feet high, its widely spreading 

 lower branches occupying a space of more than two feet in diameter. It will 

 readily be conceived, therefore, that, covered with flowers from the base to the 

 apex, it makes a most attractive appearance; and being perfectly hardy, is 

 highly deserving of cultivation. 



Our drawing was made from a plant raised from seeds sent to the Birmingham 

 Botanical and Horticultural Society ; it flowered last summer, and is the only 

 living plant we have at present seen. We have compared it with specimens which 

 we received from the Unio Itineraria, and find them to agree in every particular. 

 It appears to be nearly allied to Delphinium consolida, if we examine the charac- 

 ter given by De Candolle in his Prodromus, or that given by the late Sir James 

 Edward Smith in his English Flora ; but, on comparison, there can be no doubt 

 of their being perfectly distinct. From D. consolida it differs in being very much 

 more branched ; in its branches being more slender ; in having flowers shorter 

 than the pedicels, with the petals very entire at the margin, not crenate, as the 



VOL. I. F 



