[Larkspurs: The Genus Delphinium East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Unidentified larkspur blooming at the beginning of the floral season in Logan Valley (snow had only cleared off the site during the previous week)..........June 5, 2011. The site is a vernally moist swale between the parking area of the wildlife viewing area and FS Road 16. Upland larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum) is present at the site but its inflorescence is more elongated and open and all plants of this species were in bud. Slim larkspur (Delphinium depauperatum) is also found here along the water courses in the meadows, but it only began blooming by late June. Anderson's larkspur (Delphinium andersonii) has evidently been collected near by but I am not familiar with it (most photos I've seen of it have blue lower petals). If you are familiar with east cascade larkspurs, please assist in identifying this unknown larkspur.

Additional close-up photos of an unidentified larkspur blooming at the beginning of the floral season in Logan Valley at the wildlife viewing area..........June 5, 2011. Note the deeply cleft petals with numerous spreading hairs on them, the pedicels which are longer than the spurs, and the spreading hairs on the stem, at least within the inflorescence. Note also that the upper petals quickly begin to turn brown after pollination. It is unknown at this point if the stem is hollow or not, and unfortunately a plant was not dug to observe the root structure. The maturing fruit was photographed at the same site on June 26, 2011. Note the numerous spreading hairs on it which seem to be tipped with minute hairs.

Unidentified larkspur from the trail to Fields Peak, Malheur National Forest as seen during an NPSO fieldtrip on June 24, 2011. Note that this plant is 3-stemmed while the one in the background is multiple-stemmed.