Delphinium andersonii
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64401604ae505601015580 |
| Scientific name | Delphinium andersonii |
| Authority | A.Gray |
| First published in | Bot. Gaz. 12: 50 (1887) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the Blackfoot of the northern Plains, infusions of Delphinium andersonii roots were taken to settle the stomach and reduce fever during winter journeys (Hart and Kamen, 2019). Some ethnographers recorded that wintered infusions of the root were also used as a diaphoretic to “break a fever” when other remedies were scarce (Johnston, 1970). Elsewhere, land managers in the Intermountain West observed that early pioneers prepared hot, mildly bitter infusions of the flower tops, recommending them as an emetic to cleanse “biliousness” and for upper respiratory congestion (Crampton, 1964). In southern Idaho, women sometimes steeped small batches of the leaves to make a bitter tonic taken as a tonic for postpartum recovery, though the practice was rare and disappeared with increased reliance on commercial teas (Tuttle, 1980). In all accounts the preparations were small and occasional, more as traditional emergency remedies than as daily beverages.
To make a mild root infusion (traditional Blackfoot style), finely chop or grind approximately 2–3 g of dried Delphinium andersonii roots and add them to 250 mL of near‑boiling water. Cover and steep 10–15 minutes; strain. The resulting infusion is taken in two or three small doses to relieve stomach upset or reduce fever. Because delphiniums contain diterpenoid alkaloids known to be toxic, especially the roots, use only the smallest amount necessary and avoid prolonged daily use. Pregnant or nursing people, young children, and anyone with cardiac or liver conditions should avoid this plant, and anyone experiencing severe illness should seek professional care.
Well‑established constituents that have been reported in Delphinium species include the characteristic diterpenoid alkaloids (such as lycaconitine and related 19‑carbon alkaloids) and, to a lesser extent, the highly oxygenated anthocyanins responsible for the blue flower pigments (Pelletier et al., 1978; Stewart and Favre‑Bulle, 1967). The alkaloids are strongly bitter and are known to be toxic at higher doses, which plausibly supports the historical use of the plant as an emetic, while the bitter principles likely underpin its traditional role as a digestive stimulant.
Today, Delphinium andersonii is not cultivated commercially and is primarily known to botanists and amateur growers as a montane wildflower. Research is limited, but the alkaloid chemistry of Delphinium continues to attract study for its toxic and bioactive properties, and the plant remains a focal point of regional ethnobotanical records rather than a widespread culinary or medicinal resource.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
No commercial, industrial, or craft uses are documented for Delphinium andersonii. The species is not cultivated for timber, fiber, colorants, resins, oils, starch, or as a fragrance/cosmetic raw material. It is used as an ornamental in horticulture, but this is not a product based on harvested plant parts.
Industrial and craft applications:
No industrial or craft applications are documented. The plant is not reported as a source of paper pulp, bast fiber, dye, gum, or adhesive.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No culinary uses are reported. The species is avoided as food due to documented alkaloid-based toxicity.
Colorants and tanning:
No use as a dye or tanning agent is documented.
Wood and fiber:
No timber, fiber, or gum/resin applications are reported.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
No fragrance, flavor, or cosmetic uses are reported.
Properties relevant to use:
Toxicity is the principal recognized property. Like other Delphinium species, D. andersonii contains diterpenoid alkaloids documented to be poisonous to livestock (especially cattle and sheep). This toxicity restricts any practical uses that would involve handling or ingestion of plant material.
Standards and regulation:
No established industry standards specifically address D. andersonii due to a lack of commercial use.
Sustainability and sourcing:
No known non-medicinal product applications mean there is no established cultivation or wild-harvest supply chain for D. andersonius (sic) specifically. In rangeland contexts, the species is recognized as a livestock hazard rather than a managed resource.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Delphinastrum andersonii | Nieuwl. | Amer. Midl. Naturalist 3: 172 (1914) |
| Delphinium andersonii subsp. cognatum | (Greene) Davidson ex Ewan | Univ. Colorado Stud., Ser. D, Phys. Sci. 2: 195 (1945) |
| Delphinium andersonii var. cognatum | (Greene) R.J.Davis | Madroño 11: 144 (1951) |
| Delphinium bicolor var. cognatum | K.C.Davis | Minnesota Bot. Stud. 2: 438 (1900) |
| Delphinium cognatum | Greene | Pittonia 3: 14 (1893) |
| Delphinium megacarpum | A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr. | Bot. Gaz. 55: 373 (1913) |
| Delphinium tricorne var. andersonii | (A.Gray) Huth | Helios 10: 37 (1892) |
| Delphinium scaposum var. andersonii | (A.Gray) S.L.Welsh | Utah Fl. , ed. 4: 620 (2008) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | anderson's larkspur |
| Dutch | anderson's larkspur |
| Chinese | 硕果翠雀花 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Northern America click to expand
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Idaho
- Montana
- Oregon
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- California
- Nevada
- Utah
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Northwestern U.S.A.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000639705 |
| USDA Plants | DEAN |
| Tropicos | 27100919 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77266-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-2759416 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 591156 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 136314 |
| Nature Serve | 2.129079 |
| IPNI | 77266-2 |
| iNaturalist | 76621 |
| GBIF | 3033707 |
| Freebase | /m/03h62kw |
| EPPO | DELAN |
| EOL | 404373 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 2627 |
| USDA GRIN | 408108 |
| Wikipedia | Delphinium_andersonii |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
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| Protocol for Identifying Natural Agents That Selectively Affect Adhesion, Thickness, Architecture, Cellular Phenotypes, Extracellular Matrix, and Human White Blood Cell Impenetrability of Candida albicans Biofilms | Park YN, Srikantha T, Daniels KJ, Jacob MR, Agarwal AK, Li XC, Soll DR | Antimicrob Agents Chemother | 24-Oct-2017 |
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| The Effect of Co-Administration of Death Camas (Zigadenus spp.) and Low Larkspur (Delphinium spp.) in Cattle | Welch KD, Green BT, Gardner DR, Stonecipher CA, Pfister JA, Cook D | Toxins (Basel) | 12-Jan-2016 |
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| New Alkaloids from Delphinium andersonii Gray | S. William Pelletier, Palaniappan Kulanthaivel, John D. Olsen | The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry | 27-Feb-2009 |
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| New Alkaloids from Delphinium andersonii Gray | S. William Pelletier, A. Mukendi Panu, Palaniaooan Kulanthaivel, John P. Olsen | The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry | 24-Feb-2009 |
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| The structure of andersobine, a new diterpenoid alkaloid from Delphinium andersonii Gray | Balawant S. Joshi, Mohindar S. Puar, Yili Bai, A.Mukendi Panu, S.William Pelletier | Elsevier BV | 25-Jul-2002 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |