Delphinium luteum
Encyclopedia
The endangered
flower Delphinium luteum, the yellow larkspur, is a perennial of the buttercup family
which is endemic
to the rocky, foggy hillsides of coastal Sonoma County, California
. As of 2005 there were about 200 individuals believed to be in existence. This rare plant
is a small herb bearing bright yellow cornucopia-shaped flowers.
The plant was never distributed beyond the coastal area of Sonoma and Marin
Counties, and has never been abundant. Activities in the area including quarrying, grazing, agriculture, and development further reduced the population of yellow larkspur to its current near extinction. It has been listed as an endangered species since the 1970s. Extremely isolated patches of the plant still exist on private property near Bodega Bay
, where it is protected.
Yellow larkspur is pollinated by hummingbird
s and insects, and often hybridizes with two other Delphinium species if it receives their pollen. However, pure unhybridized individuals of yellow larkspur exist and the genetic diversity within the species is high. More recent conservation attempts have focused on specifically preserving the yellow larkspur species.
A closely related flower in this region, Baker's larkspur
, is also critically endangered, and the two species are often studied together.
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
flower Delphinium luteum, the yellow larkspur, is a perennial of the buttercup family
Ranunculaceae
Ranunculaceae are a family of about 1700 species of flowering plants in about 60 genera, distributed worldwide....
which is endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the rocky, foggy hillsides of coastal Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
. As of 2005 there were about 200 individuals believed to be in existence. This rare plant
Rare species
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
is a small herb bearing bright yellow cornucopia-shaped flowers.
The plant was never distributed beyond the coastal area of Sonoma and Marin
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
Counties, and has never been abundant. Activities in the area including quarrying, grazing, agriculture, and development further reduced the population of yellow larkspur to its current near extinction. It has been listed as an endangered species since the 1970s. Extremely isolated patches of the plant still exist on private property near Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a shallow, rocky inlet of the Pacific Ocean on the coast of northern California in the United States. It is approximately across and is located approximately northwest of San Francisco and west of Santa Rosa...
, where it is protected.
Yellow larkspur is pollinated by hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s and insects, and often hybridizes with two other Delphinium species if it receives their pollen. However, pure unhybridized individuals of yellow larkspur exist and the genetic diversity within the species is high. More recent conservation attempts have focused on specifically preserving the yellow larkspur species.
A closely related flower in this region, Baker's larkspur
Baker's larkspur
Baker's larkspur is a perennial herb in the buttercup family . It is endemic to California in the United States, where it is a federally listed endangered species...
, is also critically endangered, and the two species are often studied together.