''Consolida'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of about 40

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), a ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Ranunculaceae Ranunculaceae (, buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family (biology), family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are ''Ranunculus'' (600 spec ...

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia.

Phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the genus ''

Delphinium ''Delphinium'' is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the family (biology), family Ranunculaceae, native species, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. T ...

'' and it has been treated as a synonym of ''Delphinium'' in

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is ...

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

. The name of the genus comes from an archaic use of ''consolidation'', meaning "healing", in reference to the plant's medieval use for healing wounds. ''Consolida'' differs from other species of ''Delphinium'' (mostly perennials) in the

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

structure, with only one united petal, rather than the four separate petals (or more in cultivars) found in other delphiniums, and in the

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

, which comprises a single follicle, instead of a cluster of three to five together. It is a popular garden plant and

cut flower Cut flowers are flowers and flower buds (often with some stem and leaf) that have been cut from the plant bearing it. It is removed from the plant for decorative use. Cut greens are leaves with or without stems added to the cut flowers for con ...

, grown from seed every year, with numerous

cultivars A cultivar is a kind of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those traits when propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue cult ...

in shades of pink, blue, purple and white. In seed catalogues it is usually labelled as larkspur, a common name referring to the shape of the spurred

calyx CALYX, Inc. is a non-profit publisher of art and literature by women founded in 1976 based in Corvallis, Oregon. CALYX publishes both '' CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women'' twice a year and CALYX Books, which publishes one to three ...

, with "delphinium" reserved for its perennial relatives.

Species

There are more than 50 species in ''Consolida'': * '' Consolida aconiti'' (syn. ''Delphinium aconiti'') * ''

Consolida ajacis ''Consolida ajacis'' (doubtful knight's spur or rocket larkspur) is an Annual plant, annual flowering plant of the family Ranunculaceae native to Eurasia. It is widespread in other areas, including much of North America, where it is an introduce ...

'' (syn. ''Consolida ambigua''; ''Consolida baluchistanica''; ''Delphinium ajacis'') — rocket larkspur: Europe, Cyprus, Turkey * '' Consolida anthoroidea'' (syn. ''Delphinium anthoroideum'') * ''

Consolida arenaria ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium arenarium'') * ''

Consolida armeniaca ''Consolida armeniaca'' is an annual flowering plant of the family Ranunculaceae Ranunculaceae (, buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family (biology), family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants i ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium armeniacum'') * ''

Consolida aucheri ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium aucheri'') * ''

Consolida axilliflora ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium axilliflorum'') * ''

Consolida barbata ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium barbatum'') * ''

Consolida brevicornis ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium brevicorne'') * ''

Consolida camptocarpa ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium camptocarpum'') — Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan * ''

Consolida coelesyriaca ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium coelesyriacum'') * ''

Consolida cornuta ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium cornutum'') * ''

Consolida cruciata ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium cruciatum'') * '' Consolida deserti-syriaci'' (syn. ''Delphinium deserti-syriaci'') * '' Consolida flava'' (syn. ''Delphinium flavum'') * '' Consolida glandulosa'' (syn. ''Delphinium glandulosum'') * '' Consolida gombaultii'' (syn. ''Delphinium gombaultii'') * '' Consolida hellespontica'' (syn. ''Delphinium hellesponticum'') * '' Consolida hohenackeri'' (syn. ''Delphinium hohenackeri'') * ''

Consolida incana ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium incanum'') * '' Consolida kabuliana'' (syn. ''Delphinium kabulianum'') * '' Consolida kandaharica'' (syn. ''Delphinium kandaharicum'') * '' Consolida leptocarpa'' (syn. ''Delphinium leptocarpum'') * '' Consolida linarioides'' (syn. ''Delphinium linarioides'') * '' Consolida lineolata'' (syn. ''Delphinium lineolatum'') * '' Consolida lorestanica'' (syn. ''Delphinium lorestanicum'') * '' Consolida mauritanica'' (syn. ''Delphinium mauritanicum'') * '' Consolida oligantha'' (syn. ''Delphinium oliganthum'') * '' Consolida oliveriana'' (syn. ''Delphinium oliverianum'') — Iran, Iraq, Turkey * '' Consolida olopetala'' (syn. ''Delphinium olopetalum'') * '' Consolida orientalis'' (syn. ''Delphinium hispanicum'') — eastern larkspur:

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

, Europe * '' Consolida persica'' (syn. ''Consolida halophila''; ''Delphinium persicum'') * '' Consolida phrygia'' (syn. ''Delphinium phrygium'') * '' Consolida pubescens'' (syn. ''Delphinium pubescens'') — North Africa, Europe * ''

Consolida pusilla ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Consolida pygmaea''; ''Delphinium pusillum'') * '' Consolida raveyi'' (syn. ''Delphinium raveyi'') * ''

Consolida regalis ''Consolida regalis'', known as forking larkspur, rocket-larkspur, and field larkspur, is an Annual plant, annual herbaceous plant belonging to the genus ''Consolida'' of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Distribution ''Consolida regalis'' ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium consolida'') — field larkspur: Western Asia, Europe ** ''C. r.'' subsp. ''divaricata'' (syn. ''Consolida divaricata'') ** ''C. r.'' subsp. ''paniculata'' ** ''C. r.'' subsp. ''regalis'' * '' Consolida rugulosa'' (syn. ''Delphinium rugulosum'') —

Western Asia West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenian ...

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

* '' Consolida saccata'' (syn. ''Delphinium saccatum'') * '' Consolida samia'' (syn. ''Delphinium samium'') * '' Consolida schlagintweitii'' (syn. ''Delphinium schlagintweitii'') * '' Consolida scleroclada'' (syn. ''Delphinium sclerocladum'') * ''

Consolida staminosa ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetic studies show that ''Consolida'' is actually an annual clade nested within the ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium staminosum'') * '' Consolida stapfiana'' (syn. ''Delphinium stapfianum'') * '' Consolida stenocarpa'' (syn. ''Delphinium stenocarpum'') * '' Consolida stocksiana'' (syn. ''Delphinium stocksianum'') * '' Consolida sulphurea'' (syn. ''Delphinium sulphureum'') — Turkey * ''

Consolida teheranica ''Consolida'' is a genus of about 40 species of annual plant, annual flowering plants in the family (biology), family Ranunculaceae, native plant, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. Phylogenetics, Phylogenetic studies show that ...

'' (syn. ''Delphinium teheranicum'') * '' Consolida tenuissima'' (syn. ''Delphinium tenuissimum'') * '' Consolida thirkeana'' (syn. ''Delphinium thirkeanum'') * '' Consolida tomentosa'' (syn. ''Delphinium tomentosum'') * '' Consolida trigonelloides'' (syn. ''Delphinium trigonelloides'') * '' Consolida tuntasiana'' (syn. ''Delphinium tuntasianum'') * '' Consolida uechtritziana'' (syn. ''Delphinium uechtritzianum'')

Toxicity

All parts of the plant are toxic to humans, especially the seeds.

References

Jepson Manual Treatment
Ranunculaceae genera {{Ranunculaceae-stub