Search / Plant Profile / Delphinium recurvatum

Plant Profile

Byron Larkspur (Delphinium recurvatum)

Photo Credit: Brent Miller

Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Ranunculaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 157158
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Delphinium recurvatum is a species of larkspur known by the common names Byron larkspur, recurved larkspur, and valley larkspur. It is endemic to California, where most of its historical range is in the Central Valley. The grasslands of the valley have been mostly claimed for development and agriculture, so this species is now uncommon. This wildflower, which blooms from May through June, reaches a maximum height of about half a meter. Its deeply lobed leaves are mainly basal, with those located further up the dark purple stem being much smaller. The flowers are generally blue, 11-16 mm, with the sepals and lower petals darker than the upper petals. The sepals are usually curved back, the trait which gives the plant its name. [Calscape, Jepson]

Where is Byron Larkspur (Delphinium recurvatum) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Delphinium recurvatum prefers poorly drained, fine, alkaline soils in the grassland of California's Central Valley.

Distribution:

There are approximately 100 specimens of Delphinium recurvatum found within the inland valleys of California. {CNPS]

States & Provinces:

Byron Larkspur can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Byron Larkspur (Delphinium recurvatum)?

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/13/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden holds 3 accessions of Delphinium recurvatum in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 5397 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has collected 3 seed accessions of Delphinium recurvatum from 2 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 93 maternal plants