Delphinium | |
---|---|
Delphinium elatum | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Ranunculales |
Family: | Ranunculaceae |
Subfamily: | Ranunculoideae |
Tribe: | Delphinieae |
Genus: | Delphinium L. |
Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus. [1]
All members of the genus Delphinium are toxic to humans and livestock. [2] The common name larkspur is shared between perennial Delphinium species and annual species of the genus Consolida . [3] Molecular data show that Consolida, as well as another segregate genus, Aconitella, are both embedded in Delphinium. [4]
The genus name Delphinium derives from the Ancient Greek word δελφίνιον (delphínion) which means "dolphin", a name used in De Materia Medica for some kind of larkspur. [5] [6] [7] Pedanius Dioscorides said the plant got its name because of its dolphin-shaped flowers. [8]
Species with short stems and few flowers such as Delphinium nuttallianum and Delphinium bicolor appear in habitats like prairies and the sagebrush steppe. Tall and robust species with many flowers, such as Delphinium occidentale , appear more often in forests. [9]
The leaves are deeply lobed with three to seven toothed, pointed lobes in a palmate shape. The main flowering stem is erect, and varies greatly in size between the species, from 10 centimetres in some alpine species, up to 2 m tall in the larger meadowland species.[ citation needed ]
In June and July (Northern Hemisphere), the plant is topped with a raceme of many flowers, varying in colour from purple and blue, to red, yellow, or white. The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical and have many stamens. [9] In most species, each flower consists of five petal-like sepals which grow together to form a hollow pocket with a spur at the end, which gives the plant its name, usually more or less dark blue. Within the sepals are four true petals, small, inconspicuous, and commonly coloured similarly to the sepals. The uppermost sepal is spurred, and encloses the nectar-secreting spurs of the two upper petals. [10]
The seeds are small and often shiny black. The plants flower from late spring to late summer, and are pollinated by butterflies and bumble bees. Despite the toxicity, Delphinium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the dot moth and small angle shades. [11]
Genetic analysis suggests that Delphinium sensu lato, as it was delineated before the 21st century, is polyphyletic. Nested within Delphiniums.l. are Aconitella, Consolida , and Aconitum . To make Delphinium monophyletic, several interventions were made. The new genus Staphisagria was erected containing Staphisagria macrosperma (D. staphisagria), S. requienii (D. requini) and S. picta (D. pictum), representing the sister group to all other Delphinieae. [12] [13] Further genetic analysis has shown that the two large subgenera Aconitum (Aconitum) and Aconitum (Lycoctonum) are the sister group to Aconitum gymnandrum, Delphinium (Delphinium), Delphinium (Delphinastrum), Consolida and Aconitella. To make Aconitum monophyletic, A. gymnandrum has now been reassigned to a new monotypic genus, Gymnaconitum . Finally, Consolida and Aconitella are synonymized with Delphinium. [14] [15]
D. arthriscifolium is sister to all other species of Delphiniumsensu stricto (so excluding Staphisagria). It should be placed in its own subgenus, but no proposal naming this subgenus has been made yet. The subgenera Delphinium (Delphinium) and Delphinium (Delphinastrum) are sister to the group consisting of the species of Consolida and Aconitella, which together make up the subgenus Delphinium (Consolida). Aconitella cannot be retained as a subgenus because A. barbata does not cluster with the remaining species previously assigned to that genus, without creating five further subgenera. [15]
Species include:
Several species of Delphinium have been reassigned: [15]
Delphiniums can attract butterflies and other pollinators. [16]
Various delphiniums are cultivated as ornamental plants, for traditional and native plant gardens. The numerous hybrids and cultivars are primarily used as garden plants, providing height at the back of the summer border, in association with roses, lilies, and geraniums.[ citation needed ]
Most delphinium hybrids and cultivars are derived from D. elatum. Hybridisation was developed in the 19th century, led by Victor Lemoine in France. [17] Other hybrid crosses have included D. bruninianum, D. cardinale, D. cheilanthum, and D. formosum. [18]
Numerous cultivars have been selected as garden plants, and for cut flowers and floristry. They are available in shades of white, pink, purple, and blue. The blooming plant is also used in displays and specialist competitions at flower and garden shows, such as the Chelsea Flower Show. [19]
The 'Pacific Giant' hybrids are a group with individual single-colour cultivar names, developed by Reinelt in the United States. They typically grow to 1.2–1.8 m (4–6 ft) tall on long stems, by 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) wide. They reportedly can tolerate deer. [16] Millennium delphinium hybrids, bred by Dowdeswell's in New Zealand, are reportedly better in warmer climates than the Pacific hybrids. [20] [21] Flower colours in shades of red, orange, and pink have been hybridized from D. cardinale by Americans Reinelt and Samuelson. [18]
The following delphinium cultivars have received the Award of Garden Merit from the British Royal Horticultural Society: [22]
Name | Height (m) | Flower colour | Eye colour | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
'Atholl' | 1.5 | white | brown | [23] |
'Blue Dawn' | 2.2 | mauve (pale) | brown | [24] |
'Blue Nile' | 1.5 | blue (mid) | white | [25] |
'Bruce' | 2.0 | violet (deep) | buff | [26] |
'Can-can' | 1.5 | violet (pale) | (double) | [27] |
'Centurion Sky Blue' | 1.5 | blue (light) | white | [28] |
'Cherub' | 1.5 | mauve (pale) | cream | [29] |
'Clifford Sky' | 2.0 | blue (sky) | white | [30] |
'Conspicuous' | 1.5 | mauve | brown | [31] |
'Elisabeth Sahin' | 1.5 | white | cream | [32] |
'Elizabeth Cook' | 1.5 | white | white | [33] |
'Emily Hawkins' | 1.5 | lilac | brown | [34] |
'Faust' | 1.8 | blue (deep) | black | [35] |
'Fenella' | 1.5 | blue (dark) | black | [36] |
'Foxhill Nina' | 1.5 | pink (pale) | white | [37] |
'Galileo' | 1.8 | blue (mid) | black | [38] |
'Holly Cookland Wilkins' | 2.5 | violet | brown | [39] |
'Jill Curley' | 2.1 | white | cream | [40] |
'Kennington Classic' | 2.5 | white | yellow | [41] |
'Kestrel' | 2.0 | blue (bright) | brown | [42] |
'Langdon's Blue Lagoon' | 1.9 | blue (mid) | white | [43] |
'Langdon's Pandora' | 2.5 | blue (sky) | brown | [44] |
'Lilian Bassett' | 1.5 | white | brown | [45] |
'Lord Butler' | 1.5 | blue (light) | white | [46] |
'Lucia Sahin' | 2.0 | pink/purple | brown | [47] |
'Margaret' | 1.5 | blue (bright) | white | [48] |
'Michael Ayres' | 1.5 | violet (deep) | brown | [49] |
'Min' | 2.0 | violet | brown | [50] |
'Olive Poppleton' | 2.5 | white | yellow | [51] |
'Oliver' | 1.5 | blue (light) | black | [52] |
'Our Deb' | 1.5 | pink (pale) | brown | [53] |
'Purple Velvet' | 1.5 | violet | brown/yellow | [54] |
'Raymond Lister' | 1.7 | blue (mid) | brown | [55] |
'Rosemary Brock' | 1.5 | pink | brown | [56] |
'Rosy Future' | 1.2 | pink | white/black | [57] |
'Spindrift' | 1.5 | lilac (pale) | white | [58] |
'Sungleam' | 2.0 | cream | yellow | [59] |
'Sunkissed' | 1.5 | white | yellow | [60] |
'Sweethearts' | 2.5 | pink (rose) | white | [61] |
'Tiddles' | 1.5 | mauve | (double) | [62] |
'Walton Gemstone' | 2.0 | violet (pale) | white | [63] |
All parts of these plants are considered toxic to humans, especially the younger parts, [2] causing severe digestive discomfort if ingested, and skin irritation. [2] [3] [10] [64] Larkspur, especially tall larkspur, is a significant cause of cattle poisoning on rangelands in the western United States. [65] Larkspur is more common in high-elevation areas, and many ranchers delay moving cattle onto such ranges until late summer when the toxicity of the plants is reduced. [66] Death is through cardiotoxic and neuromuscular blocking effects, and can occur within a few hours of ingestion. [67] All parts of the plant contain various diterpenoid alkaloids, typified by methyllycaconitine, and are very poisonous. [64]
The juice of the flowers, particularly D. consolida, mixed with alum, gives a blue ink. [68]
All plant parts are poisonous in large doses, especially the seeds, that contain up to 1.4% of alkaloids.[ citation needed ]
Geranium is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. They are found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, with the greatest diversity in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region.
Aconitum, also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows.
Veronica sect. Hebe is a group of plants within the genus Veronica, native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands and South America. It was formerly treated as the separate genus Hebe. It includes about 90 species. Almost all species occur in New Zealand, apart from Veronica rapensis and Veronica salicifolia, found in South America. It is named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe. Informally, species in the section may be called shrubby veronicas or hebes.
Penstemon, the beardtongues, is a large genus of roughly 280 species of flowering plants native to North America from northern Canada to Central America. It is the largest genus of flowering plants endemic to North America. As well as being the scientific name, penstemon is also widely used as a common name for all Penstemon species alongside beardtongues.
Ranunculaceae is a family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide.
Deutzia is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to eastern and central Asia, and Central America and also Europe. By far the highest species diversity is in China, where 50 species occur.
Osteospermum, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Calenduleae, one of the smaller tribes of the sunflower/daisy family Asteraceae. They are known as the daisybushes or African daisies. Its species have been given several common names, including African daisy, South African daisy, Cape daisy and blue-eyed daisy.
Consolida is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that Consolida is actually an annual clade nested within the genus Delphinium and it has been treated as a synonym of Delphinium in Kew's Plants of the World Online. The name of the genus comes from an archaic use of consolidation, meaning "healing", in reference to the plant's medieval use for healing wounds.
Echeveria is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, native to semi-desert areas of Central America, Mexico and northwestern South America.
Saxifraga is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 473 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word saxifraga means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin saxum + frangere. It is usually thought to indicate a medicinal use for treatment of urinary calculi, rather than breaking rocks apart.
Trollius is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants closely related to Ranunculus, in the family Ranunculaceae. The common name of some species is globeflower or globe flower. The generic name is derived from the Swiss-German word "Trollblume", meaning a rounded flower. Native to the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity of species in Asia, Species of the genus Trollius usually grow in heavy, wet clay soils.
Hosta is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, and is native to northeast Asia. Like many "lilioid monocots", the genus was once classified in the Liliaceae. The genus was named by Austrian botanist Leopold Trattinnick in 1812, in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host. In 1817, the generic name Funkia was used by German botanist Kurt Sprengel in honor of Heinrich Christian Funck, a collector of ferns and alpines; this was later used as a common name and can be found in some older literature.
Staphisagria is a genus in the family Ranunculaceae native to the Mediterranean. It used to be a subgenus or section in the genus Delphinium, but molecular evidence suggests it should be a genus.
Staphisagria macrosperma, formerly known as Delphinium staphisagria, is a species of Staphisagria of the family Ranunculaceae. It used to belong to the subgenus or section Staphisagria of the genus Delphinium, but molecular evidence suggests Staphisagria should be a genus which is a sister group to the Aconitum-Delphinium clade. It is described botanically as a stoutly-stemmed, hairy biennial with large palmate leaves up to 6 inches (15 cm) across. The flowers are mauve-blue to blue, short-spurred, and up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, occurring in racemes. The plant grows to a height of 4–5 feet. It grows throughout the Mediterranean. All parts of this plant are highly toxic and should not be ingested in any quantity.
Hamamelis×intermedia, the hybrid witch hazel, is a flowering plant in the family Hamamelidaceae. It is a hybrid of garden origin between H. japonica and H. mollis. Its Latin name refers to its intermediate appearance between those two species.
Nemesia is a genus of annuals, perennials and sub-shrubs which are native to sandy coasts or disturbed ground in South Africa. Numerous hybrids have been selected, and the annual cultivars are popular with gardeners as bedding plants. In temperate regions they are usually treated as half-hardy, grown from seed in heat, and planted out after all danger of frost has passed.
Delphinium grandiflorum is a species of Delphinium known by the common names Siberian larkspur and Chinese Delphinium. It is native to Russia and China. There are several popular cultivars in several colours which are grown as ornamental plants, including 'Blue Butterfly', 'Summer Morning', 'Blue Mirror', and 'Summer Stars'. Like many other larkspurs, this plant is poisonous. It is much shorter and more compact than the more familiar tall D. elatum, with dispersed flowers, rather than single spikes.
Gigactonine is a naturally occurring diterpene alkaloid first isolated from Aconitum gigas. It occurs widely in the Ranunculaceae plant family. The polycyclic ring system of this chemical compound contains nineteen carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom, which is the same as in aconitine and this is reflected in its preferred IUPAC name.
Delphinium elatum is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, known by the common name alpine delphinium, guardian lavender, or candle larkspur. It is native to temperate Asia and Europe, it is an erect herbaceous perennial growing to 1.8 m (5.9 ft), with deeply divided leaves. It produces spikes of blue or purple flowers in summer.
Delphinieae is a tribe of the subfamily Ranunculoideae of the family Ranunculaceae. It comprises 4 genera found in Eurasia, North America, and Africa.
Flos albae violae similis, purpurascens, delphinorum effigie, unde et nomen adepta est planta.