Delphinium bakeri

Baker's larkspur

Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Baker's larkspur is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges and northern San Francisco Bay region in Marin County, growing in coastal scrub and decomposing shale slopes at elevations of 80 to 305 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces dark blue flowers with distinctive sepals 9 to 11 millimeters long and a curved spur 9 to 13 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 50 to 100 centimeters tall that are glabrous and have a base narrower than the root, it forms an elegant upright structure. Its leaves are concentrated on the upper two-thirds of the stem, with lobes wider than 1 centimeter and crenate tips, creating a delicate, intricate foliage pattern. The fruit is slightly curved and measures 18 to 20 millimeters long, with smooth, shiny seeds featuring an inflated collar.

Habitat: Coastal scrub, decomposing shale slopes

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: 80-305 m

Bioregions: n CCo, n SnFrB (Marin Co.).

California counties: Sonoma, Marin, Alameda

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.