Delphinium carolinianum Walter

Stems (20-)40-90(-150) cm; base reddish or not, ± pubescent. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves 0-10 at anthesis; cauline leaves 4-12 at anthesis; petiole 0.1-14 cm. Leaf blade round to pentagonal, 1-8 × 2-12 cm, pubescence variable; ultimate lobes 3-29, width 2-10 mm (basal), 1-7 mm (cauline). Inflorescences (3-)8-27(-94)-flowered; pedicel (0.4-)0.7-1.8(-5.7) cm, nearly glabrous to glandular; bracteoles 1-3.5(-6) mm from flowers, green or blue, linear, 2-7 mm, pubescence nearly glabrous to glandular. Flowers: sepals purple to blue to white, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, (7-)9-14(-17) × (3-)3.5-6(-8) mm, spurs ± upcurved, ascending 20-90° above vertical, (9-)11-17(-19) mm; lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 5-7 mm, cleft 2-4 mm; hairs centered, densest near base of cleft, white, sometimes blue or yellow. Fruits (10-)12.5-18.5(-27) mm, 4-4.5 times longer than wide, glabrous to puberulent. Seeds: seed coat cells with surfaces pustulate or smooth.