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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
ABBREVIATION :
DELOCC
SYNONYMS :
NO-ENTRY
SCS PLANT CODE :
DEOC
COMMON NAMES :
duncecap larkspur
tall larkspur
western larkspur
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name of duncecap larkspur is
Delphinium × occidentale (S. Wats.) S. Wats. (pro sp.). It is a hybrid
of subalpine larkspur (D. barbeyi) and Sierra larkspur (D. glaucum) [12].
LIFE FORM :
Forb
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
Robin F. Matthews, October 1993
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Matthews, Robin F. 1993. Delphinium occidentale. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Duncecap larkspur is distributed from northeastern Oregon to Montana and
south to Nevada, Utah, and Colorado [9,10,11,15,27]. In addition, Welsh
and others [27] report populations in Arizona and New Mexico.
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES26 Lodgepole pine
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
FRES37 Mountain meadows
FRES44 Alpine
STATES :
AZ CO ID MT NV NM OR UT WY
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
BIHO GLAC GRTE MORA ROMO TICA
YELL
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
12 Colorado Plateau
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K011 Western ponderosa forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K015 Western spruce - fir forest
K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
K020 Spruce - fir - Douglas-fir forest
K021 Southwestern spruce - fir forest
K022 Great Basin pine forest
K037 Mountain-mahogany - oak scrub
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K052 Alpine meadows and barren
K055 Sagebrush steppe
K063 Foothills prairie
SAF COVER TYPES :
206 Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
208 Whitebark pine
210 Interior Douglas-fir
211 White fir
217 Aspen
218 Lodgepole pine
219 Limber pine
237 Interior ponderosa pine
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Duncecap larkspur is common in open coniferous forests and aspen,
sagebrush, mountain brush, and meadow habitats. It is listed as a
codominant herbaceous layer species in the following publication:
Subalpine forb community types of the Bridger-Teton National Forest,
Wyoming [8]
Some forbs associated with duncecap larkspur in subalpine forb
communities include mountain bluebells (Mertensia ciliata), horsemint
(Agastache urticifolia), cowparsnip (Heracleum lanatum), western
coneflower (Rudbeckia occidentalis), arrowleaf groundsel (Senecio
triangularis), cutleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza macrophylla), sticky
geranium (Geranium viscosissimum), silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus),
fernleaf licoriceroot (Ligusticum filicinum), tufted hairgrass
(Deschampsia cespitosa), mountain brome (Bromus carinatus), and cutting
wheatgrass (Agropyron caninus) [8].
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Duncecap larkspur-dominated tall forb communities are utilized by elk,
moose, deer, cattle, and domestic sheep [8]. Cattle prefer duncecap
larkspur flowers and immature seed pods [18,19].
PALATABILITY :
The palatability of duncecap larkspur is rated fair to good for sheep,
poor to fair for cattle, and poor for horses [4].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
Duncecap larkspur is poor in protein and energy value [4].
COVER VALUE :
Duncecap larkspur provides good cover for small nongame birds and small
mammals [4].
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
Larkspur species are cultivated as ornamentals [3].
Crushed larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) were used by Native Americans for
controlling lice and other insects [23].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
The tall larkspurs (duncecap larkspur and Barbey larkspur [D. barbeyi])
are highly poisonous and are responsible for more cattle deaths on
mountain ranges in the western United States than any other plant
species. Presence of the tall larkspurs on cattle allotments dictates
when and how ranges are grazed. As many as 1,000 head of cattle have
been lost lost in a 1-year period on managed rangelands of the
Intermountain Forest Service Region. Duncecap larkspur is palatable to
both cattle and sheep, but sheep can tolerate about four times more
duncecap larkspur in their diet than cattle. Duncecap
larkspur-dominated tall forb communities on high mountain ranges are
often considered good sheep foraging areas [18,19].
Duncecap larkspur produces several alkaloids. Highest concentrations of
these alkaloids occur in spring and early summer while plants are in the
vegetative stage of growth. Toxicity generally declines as plants
mature. Toxicity varies between sites or even on the same site in
different years. Total alkaloid content of duncecap larkspur may
increase with the application of herbicides. Plants remain palatable,
however, which may result in loss of livestock [18,19].
Three potential methods for controlling duncecap larkspur have been
suggested. First, defer grazing of larkspur-infested ranges until after
flowering, when alkaloid levels have declined. Second, sequentially
graze sheep before cattle, close-herding sheep through larkspur-infested
areas to trample plants and make them unacceptable to cattle. Third,
control duncecap larkspur with herbicides [18,19]. Glyphosphate,
metsulfuron, triclopyr, and picloram control duncecap larkspur [20,29,30].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Duncecap larkspur is a robust perennial forb with deep, woody roots.
Stems may be numerous, and are usually 24 to 80 inches (60-200 cm) tall
and hollow. Leaves are alternate and palmately divided. Flowers are
borne in racemes and the fruit is a many-seeded follicle. Seeds are
about 0.08 to 0.1 inches (0.2-0.25 cm) long [10,15,23,27].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Hemicryptophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Duncecap larkspur reproduces by seed [4,17]. Seeds may be stored in the
soil [25].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Duncecap larkspur is found on streambanks and moist talus slopes, and in
meadows, thickets, and open woods [5,9,10,15]. It most often occurs on
moist to wet sites and is often concentrated in areas of late snowmelt
[8,23]. Duncecep larkspur is found on dry, shallow gravel to sandy
clay, but grows best on rich loamy soils [3,25]. It grows well on level
ground to steep slopes [4,8]. Upper and lower elevational limits of
duncecap larkspur in a few western states follow [4]:
Feet Meters
_______________________________________________
Utah 5,200-10,000 1,575-3,030
Colorado 6,500- 9,800 1,970-2,970
Wyoming 5,500-10,000 1,670-3,030
Montana 7,800- 8,500 2,360-2,575
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Duncecap larkspur grows well in open to shaded sites [3,25]. In
subalpine forb communities of the Bridger-Teton National Forest,
Wyoming, duncecap larkspur is found on pristine sites as well as sites
highly disturbed by pocket gophers [8]. It is also found in climax
trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides)/tall forb stands and seral
trembling aspen-subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) stands in the
Intermountain Region [16]. Duncecap larkspur occurs in Idaho fescue
(Festuca idahoensis)-cutting wheatgrass and mountain big sagebrush
(Artemisia tridentata spp. vaseyana) habitat types in the Shoshone
National Forest, Wyoming [24].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Duncecap larkspur begins growth in late spring. It flowers in July and
August and the seeds mature from August to September [23].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Information on adaptations of duncecap larkspur for survival following
fire is not available in the literature. Seeds may survive in the soil
seedbank [25].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Duncecap larkspur is probably killed by most fires.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Information regarding the response of duncecap larkspur following fire
is lacking in available literature. Duncecap larkspur was not present
in prefire communities but became an important species following
moderately severe to severe prescribed fires in trembling aspen stands
in Idaho. Its method of colonization was not determined, but it may
have invaded the burned area from other sites [2].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Delphinium occidentale | Duncecap Larkspur
REFERENCES :
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associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
2. Brown, James K.; DeByle, Norbert V. 1989. Effects of prescribed fire on
biomass and plant succession in western aspen. Res. Pap. INT-412. Ogden,
UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain
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Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
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Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. Final Report. U.S. Forest
Service Cooperative Education Agreement: Contract OM 40-8555-3-115.
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poisonous plants. In: Provenza, Frederick D.; Flinders, Jerran T.;
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poisonous plants. Rangelands. 13(3): 73-77. [14776]
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geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
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Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p. [20090]
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Agriculture, Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest. 143 p. [2377]
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Index
Related categories for Species: Delphinium occidentale
| Duncecap Larkspur
|
 |
