Common names:
Nuttall's larkspur, two lobe larkspur
Scientific name:
Delphinium nuttallianum
Range:
Most of western USA; east to South Dakota and New Mexico
Habitat:
Pine forests, meadows, sagebrush
Leaves:
Near the base and long the lower half of the stem; narrow lobes (pinnate). Round overall
The most visible flower parts of delphinium nuttallianum are the sepals; 5 of them, with the top one having a lighter-colored spur up to one inch long; a characteristic of all species of larkspur. The sepals may be glabrous or hairy. At the flower center are four petals, the uppermost two pale blue or white. Flowers are quite widely spaced, number up to ten, and are relatively large, borne on the end of short secondary stalks (pedicels), branching off the single main stalk. Flower color ranges from purple to light blue. Leaves are found mostly around the lowest quarter of the stem; they are deeply divided into narrow lobes.