Consolida
Consolida is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. The common name, larkspur, referring to the spur-shaped calyx, is shared with the closely related perennial delphinium.
Consolida differs from Delphinium in the flower structure, with the flowers in an open, loose, often branched spike, rather than the dense column of flowers found in Delphinium, and in the fruit, which comprises a single follicle, instead of a cluster of several together.
It is a popular garden plant and cut flower, grown from seed every year, with numerous cultivars in shades of pink, blue, purple and white. In seed catalogues it is usually described as "larkspur", with "delphinium" reserved for its perennial relative.Toxicity
All parts of the plant are toxic to humans, especially the seeds.Species
Selected species include:
- Consolida aconiti
- Consolida ajacis —Rocket larkspur—Europe, Cyprus, Turkey.
- Consolida anthoroidea
- Consolida armeniaca
- Consolida axilliflora
- Consolida camptocarpa—Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan.
- Consolida cornuta
- Consolida cruciata
- Consolida glandulosa
- Consolida hellespontica
- Consolida hohenackeri
- Consolida lineolata
- Consolida oliveriana—Iran, Iraq, Turkey.
- Consolida olopetala
- Consolida orientalis —Eastern larkspur, Oriental larkspur—North Africa, Europe.
- Consolida persica
- Consolida phrygia
- Consolida pubescens—North Africa, Europe.
- Consolida raveyi
- Consolida regalis—Forking larkspur—Western Asia, Europe.
- Consolida rugulosa—Western Asia, Central Asia.
- Consolida saccata
- Consolida scleroclada
- Consolida staminosa
- Consolida stapfiana
- Consolida stenocarpa
- Consolida sulphurea—Turkey.
- Consolida thirkeana
- Consolida tomentosa
- Consolida arenaria
