Consolida ajacis

• Botanical Name : Consolida ajacis (L.) Schur
• Synonyms : Delphinium ajacis L.
• Common Name : Larkspur, Rocket Larkspur, Annual Delphinium
• Plant Family : Ranunculaceae
• Plant Form : Shrub
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Van Chetana Kendra

About Consolida ajacis Plant :

• Habit : An annual hairy shrub with branched tap root system.
• Stem : Erect, cylindrical, well-branched, glabrous, green.
• Leaves : Cauline and ramal, alternate, simple, sessile, finely dissected feathery, each linear-lanceolate, entire, acute, glabrous.
• Inflorescence : Racemes of tall, erect, long and strong column-like flower spikes studded with flowers.
• Flowers :
  • Bracteate, pedicellate, zygomorphic, pentamerous, hypogynous.
  • Calyx made up of 5, polysepalous, petaloid, posterior one modified into spur.
  • Corolla consists of 4 petals with fifth one reduced, gamopetalous, 2 posterior petals form the spur which enters the spur of sepal, blue, pink, lavender or white coloured.
  • Stamens 15 in 5 groups of 3 each, polyandrous, filaments flattened, dithecous, adnate, extrorse.
  • Carpel one, ovary superior, unilocular with many ovules, stigma simple.
• Fruit : Follicle
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : December - March
• Significance :
  • It is generally grown as an ornamental plant.
  • It is an excellent cut flower.
  • The seeds are insecticidal.