Sepals 5, irregular, petal-like; the upper one prolonged into a spur at the base. Petals 4, irregular, the upper pair continued backward into long spurs which are enclosed in the spur of the calyx, the lower pair with short claws; rarely only 2, united into one. Pistils 1--5, forming many-seeded pods in fruit.--Leaves palmately divided or cut. Flowers in terminal racemes. (Name from _Delphin_, in allusion to the shape of the flower, which is sometimes not unlike the classical figures of the dolphin.) [*] _Perennials, indigenous; pistils 3._ 1. D. exaltàtum, Ait. (TALL LARKSPUR.) Stem slender, 2--5° high; leaves deeply 3--5-cleft, the divisions narrow wedge-form, diverging, 3-cleft at the apex, acute; _racemes wand-like_, panicled, _many-flowered_; flowers purplish-blue, downy; spur straight; _pods erect_.--Rich soil, Penn. to Minn. and southward. July. 2. D. tricórne, Michx. (DWARF L.) Leaves deeply 5-parted, their divisions unequally 3--5-cleft; the lobes linear, acutish; _raceme few-flowered, loose_; spur straightish, ascending; _pods strongly diverging_.--W. Penn. to Minn. and southward. April, May.--Root a tuberous cluster. Stem simple, 6´--3° high. Flowers bright blue, sometimes white, occasionally numerous. 3. _D. azùreum_, Michx. Leaves deeply 3--5-parted, the divisions 2--3 times cleft; the lobes all narrowly linear; _raceme strict_; spur ascending, usually curved upward; _pods erect_.--Wisc. to Dak. and southward. May, June.--Stem 1--2° high, slender, often softly pubescent. Flowers sky-blue or whitish. [*][*] _Annual, introduced; petals 2, united into one body; pistil single._ D. CONSÓLIDA, L. (FIELD L.) Leaves dissected into narrow linear lobes; inflorescence loosely paniculate; pedicels shorter than the bracts; pod glabrous.--Old grain-fields, Penn. and Va.; also sparingly along roadsides farther north. (Nat. from Eu.) D. AJÀCIS, L. Flowers more numerous and spicately racemose; pods pubescent.--Sparingly escaped from gardens in E. Atlantic States. (Nat. from Eu.) 18. ACONÌTUM, Tourn. ACONITE. MONKSHOOD. WOLFSBANE. Sepals 5, petal-like, very irregular; the upper one (helmet) hooded or helmet-shaped, larger than the others. Petals 2 (the 3 lower wanting entirely, or very minute rudiments among the stamens), consisting of small spur-shaped bodies raised on long claws and concealed under the helmet. Pistils 3--5. Pods several-seeded. Seed-coat usually wrinkled or scaly.--Perennials, with palmately cleft or dissected leaves, and showy flowers in racemes or panicles. (The ancient Greek and Latin name, of uncertain origin.) 1. A. Noveboracénse, Gray. Erect from tuberous-thickened roots, 2° high, leafy, _the summit and_ strict loosely flowered _raceme pubescent_; leaves rather deeply parted, the broadly cuneate divisions 3-cleft and incised; flowers blue, _the helmet gibbous-obovate_ with broad rounded summit and short descending beak.--Chenango and Orange Cos., N. Y.