Delphinium decorum subsp. tracyi

Stems 7-20(-45) cm. Leaves: ultimate lobes 5-15, usually more than 5 lobes longer than 1/2 leaf radius, apical lobes pronounced. Inflorescences glabrous or nearly so. Flowers: lateral sepals 11-18 mm, spurs 13-20 mm; lower petal hairs white. 2 n = 16.

Flowering mid-late spring. Meadows in montane forests; 700-2300 m; Calif.

Although Delphinium decorum subsp. tracyi probably occurs in southern Oregon, no specimens have been seen from that state. Habitat appears to be the main isolating mechanism between D . decorum subsp. tracyi and D . antoninum ; hybrids do occur. The subspecies also hybridizes with D . nudicaule and D . trolliifolium .

Delphinium decorum subsp. tracyi may be confused with D . antoninum or D . nuttallianum . For distinctions from the former, see discussion under that species. Distinctions between D . decorum subsp. tracyi and D . nuttallianum may be made on basis of spreading, fading, bluish purple sepals of the former as opposed to reflexed, colorfast, dark blue to white sepals of the latter. Pubescence of the proximal portion of stems and larger lower petal blades of subsp. tracyi are also useful to distinguish from usually glabrous stems and smaller lower petal blades of D . nuttallianum .