Delphinium oliganthum Franchet, Pl. Delavay. 29. 1889, not Boissier (1867).

Stem 10--25(--50) cm tall, retrorsely puberulent, simple. Leaf blade 3--6 cm wide, base deeply cordate; primary lobes separate for at least 90% of blade radius; central lobe rhombic, 3-cleft, distally lobulate, apex acute; ultimate lobules triangular, lanceolate, or linear; proximal leaves usually withered. Raceme 3--17 cm, 1--4-flowered, densely appressed puberulent; proximal bracts leaflike, distal ones oblong or oblong-linear. Pedicels 2.6--10 cm; bracteoles distal, narrowly ovate or oblong-ovate, 0.9--2 cm. Sepals blue, abaxially puberulent; spur conic-cylindric, 1.1--1.8 cm, base 3.5--5 mm in diam.; other sepals 2.2--3 cm. Petals undivided, glabrous. Staminode limb suboblong, 2-lobed or 2-cleft, yellow barbate. Filaments glabrous. Carpels 3; ovaries puberulent. Fl. Aug--Sep.

* Grassy or gravelly slopes; 3400--4500 m. NW Yunnan (Lijiang Naxi Zu Zizhixian, Zhongdian Xian).