Delphinium californicum subsp. interius

Hospital canyon larkspur, Hospital Canyon Larkspur

Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Hospital canyon larkspur is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in eastern San Francisco Bay Area and south Coast Ranges in open woodland slopes at elevations of 300 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces green-white flowers with distinctive lateral sepals 6 to 8 millimeters long and a curved spur 7 to 10 millimeters long. Growing with upright stems that are mostly smooth with puberulent pedicel tips, the plant develops an herbaceous perennial structure. Its leaves are glabrous, presenting a smooth, clean surface that contrasts with the delicate flower structure. The flower's upper petals are nearly glabrous, adding to the plant's refined botanical appearance.

Habitat: Generally slopes in open woodland, eastern side of coast ranges

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 300-1000 m

Bioregions: e SnFrB, SCoRI.

California counties: Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Merced, San Benito, Monterey

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