The photo at right represents a basal leaf of dwarf larkspur. Photographed along the road to Blue Sky, Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge..........June 27. 2003.

Dwarf larkspur is also known as barren-ground larkspur. It is an attractive perennial wildflower with usually one erect, simple to slightly branched stem from 30-60 cm high. The lower stems range from glabrous to hairy but are nearly always covered with glandular hairs within the inflorescence. The leaves are mostly basal or on the lower stems and have long petioles as shown in the diagram at right. The blades range from 3-6 cm wide and are nearly parted into 3 broad lobes, which are further shallowly 3-4 lobed. Several small, linear, bract-like leaves are found higher on the stems.

The inflorescence is loosely to closely flowered with 5-20 flowers. The pedicels are usually shorter than the spurs (except perhaps those of the lowest flowers) and are typically nearly erect and close to the stem or ascending. The blue sepals are oblong-ovate in shape with rounded to acute tips. They are cuped forward or may be flared. Individual sepals range from 9-12 mm long while the spur is 13-15 mm long. Both the spur and calyx are covered with gland-tipped hairs. The smaller petals are blue to nerly white, the lower pair with a central tuft of whitish hairs and margins which are finely and irregularly toothed (See photos.) The fruits are 11-17 mm long and typically covered with glandular hairs (See photo below.).

Dwarf larkspur is found in moist meadows or riparian areas which dry by mid-summer. It is found with sagebrush in the lowlands and in subalpine and alpine meadows in the mountains.

Dwarf larkspur is found from southeastern Washington (Asotin County) south to Crook County and eastern Lake County in north-central and south-central Oregon respectively. It is found further south to northeastern California and eastward to central nevada and western Montana.