365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Monday, June 24, 2024
Delphinium
Day 255: There is an abundance of confusion when it comes to the delphinium/larkspur debate, much of it arising from revisions of taxonomy coupled with inconsistent application of common names. This is a garden variety Delphinium, and by "garden variety," I mean precisely that: a plant you'll find in the garden. Delphiniums are generally perennial, tall, with flowering stems sometimes reaching up to six feet, with flat-faced, open blooms borne all along the spike. The Delphinium known as Larkspur is commonly an annual, shorter, with wiry stems adorned with only a few flowers spaced rather more openly. "Delphinium" currently applies to both, but "Larkspurs" were classed previously as Consolida. As romantic as the common name "Larkspur" is, if it's in a garden, call it a Delphinium. If it's in the backcountry, call it a Larkspur. That should get you through most situations where you have to make a judgment call.
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