A N F Keys
1 Woody climbers; leaves opposite; perianth (sepals) creamy white; achenes with persistent, long, feathery persistent styles (plumose beaks) .. Clematis
1' Herbs; leaves alternate; perianth variously pigmented; fruits lacking feathery persistent styles
2 Leaves 3−4-compound with 3 divisions at each fork; plants dioecious; perianth with only 1 whorl (sepals) .. Thalictrum
2' Leaves 1-compound with 3 leaflets or palmately lobed usually with 3 principal lobes; plants with bisexual flowers; perianth with sepals and usually petals
3 Flowers radially symmetric, lacking a spur; perianth with green or yellowish sepals and yellow petals (petals sometimes absent); achenes several−many on an expanded receptacle .. Ranunculus
3' Flowers bilaterally symmetric, having a conspicuous spur; perianth of blue, violet, or red sepals and petals; fruits a set of 3 follicles .. Delphinium
1 Leaves pinnately 3(5)-foliolate; flowers in 1−3(5)-flowered cymes during winter and spring; flowers 34−47 mm across, on pedicels 40−70 mm long; pistils mostly 100−200 .. Clematis lasiantha [pics]
1' Leaves pinnately 5−9-foliolate to 2-pinnately compound; flowers in several−many-flowered panicles of cymes during summer; flowers 16−20 mm across, on pedicels 9−15 mm long; pistils 35−65 and with styles hidden by long hairs .. Clematis ligusticifolia [pics]
1 Plants in flower 60−300 cm tall; blades of basal leaves 100−150(−200) mm long; flowers scarlet (yellow), with sepal and petal spur 15−24 mm long .. Delphinium cardinale [pics]
1' Plants in flower 25−100 cm tall; blades of basal leaves to 75 mm long; flowers violet to violet-blue or pale violet (white) but never scarlet, with sepal and petal spur 8−10.5 mm long
2 Division of leaves present at flowering time usually < 5 mm wide, with acuminate sublobes; stamens 25−30, with filaments 3.5−6 mm long and violet above midpoint (paler in light-colored morphs); rachis and pedicels (stems) short-hairy; seeds ca. 1.5 mm long .. Delphinium parryi subsp. parryi [pics]
2' Division of leaves present at flowering time 10−20 mm wide, with rounded sublobes; stamens 20−25, with filaments ± 6 mm long and lavender-white base to tip; rachis and pedicels (stems) glabrous; seeds 2−2.5 mm long .. Delphinium patens subsp. hepaticoideum [pics]
NB. Delphinium parryi A. Gray subsp. blochmaniae (Greene) H. Lewis & Epling has been reported in range from one inland site (Long Grade Canyon, Ventura County) but probably is incorrect.
1 Perennial herb 35−95 cm tall; flowers 13.5−27 mm across, showy with glossy, bright yellow petals; stamens 30−40+; achenes glabrous on surfaces .. Ranunculus californicus var. californicus [pics]
1' Annual 8−25 cm tall; flowers 2−2.5 mm across, nonshowy and sometimes lacking petals; stamens 2−5; achenes with short, hooked bristles on surfaces .. Ranunculus hebecarpus [pics]
NB. Ranunculus cymbalaria Pursh was formerly included in the flora but appears to be out of range based on revised boundaries that exclude the Los Angeles River.
1 Plants neither densely clumped nor clonal; blades having glandular hairs and skunklike odor, principal veins not sunken on upper surface; sepals of staminate flowers 3−3.5 mm long; before dehiscence anthers 2.5−3 mm long; achenes with 3 principal, unbranched veins from base on each surface .. Thalictrum fendleri [pics]
1' Plants densely clumped and clonal; blades lacking glandular hairs and foul odor, principal veins sunken on upper surface; sepals of staminate flowers 4.5−5 mm long; before dehiscence anthers 3.5−4.5 mm long; achenes with 1 vein from base on each surface and branched venation .. Thalictrum polycarpum [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013