Publication: Repert. Bot. Syst. 1: 744. 1842.

Origin: Native

Herbarium search: CPNWH

Notes: FNA3: "Delphinium nuttallianum represents an extremely difficult complex, with many variations in a number of morphologic traits. The complex has been and continues to be a major source of confusion for identification of Delphinium in North America. Type specimens of D . nuttallianum represent plants growing under dry conditions in open areas. These are typically found at 1200-2000 m in sage scrub or lower montane forest. Delphinium nuttallianum may be confused with D . andersonii , D . antoninum , D . depauperatum , D . gracilentum , and two subspecies of D . patens (subsp. patens and subsp. montanum ). Features that may be used to separate D . nuttallianum from the first four, are enumerated under the respective species discussions. From D . patens subsp. patens , D . nuttallianum may be distinguished by its narrower leaf lobes, larger fruits, and more compact inflorescence. The frequent presence of glandular hairs in the inflorescence of D . patens subsp. montanum , contrasted with their absence in D . nuttallianum , will separate these taxa. Dwarfed plants of D . polycladon may be confused with D . nuttallianum . The latter, however may be distinguished by its ringed seeds, and it does not have prominent buds or sigmoid pedicel.

Hybrids have been seen between Delphinium nuttallianum and D . andersonii , D . depauperatum ( D . × burkei Greene), D . distichum ( D . × diversicolor Rydberg), D . nudicaule , and D . polycladon ."

Last updated 4/4/2020 by David Giblin.