Delphinium apetalum Huth, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 20: 398. 1895.

Rhizome unknown. Stem to 200 cm tall, ca. 1.5 cm in diam., shortly branched, glabrous or basally retrorse pubescent. Basal leaves and proximal cauline ones long petiolate; petiole 30--40 cm, pubescent; leaf blade orbicular-reniform, to 15 × 25 cm, 3-parted, abaxially pubescent at veins, adaxially glabrous; central lobe rhombic, 3-fid, margin lobulate and dentate; lateral lobes obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-lobed. Inflorescence terminal, to 60 cm, many flowered; rachis and pedicels densely spreading pubescent; bracts linear, 4--5.5 mm. Pedicels 2--5 mm, with 2 bracteoles at base; bracteoles similar to bracts, but slightly shorter. Sepals white or yellowish, abaxially sparsely pubescent; lower sepals ca. 7.2 mm; lateral sepals ca. 7.8 mm; upper sepal high galeate, 6--8 mm high, 3.2--3.6 mm in diam., erect, subbase of external margin slightly contracted or not, long beaked, lower margin 8--10 mm. Petals shorter than sepals, ca. 6 mm, glabrous; limb ca. 1/2 as long as claw; lip linear, conspicuous; spur absent. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire, rarely 1-denticulate. Carpels 3; ovary pubescent. Fr. Aug.

Picea forests, grassy slopes in valleys; 1700--1900 m. Xinjiang (Tian Shan) [Kazakhstan].