Larkspur: leaves deeply lobed; main flowering stem erect; many flowers purple, blue or white; five petals fused to hollow flower with a spur at the end.

• A. Poison Hemlock
• B. St. John's Wort
• C. Showy Milkweed
• D. Larkspur

Answer: (D)

In rangeland plant identification and toxicity management, a plant with deeply lobed leaves, an erect main flowering stem, many flowers that are purple, blue, or white, and five petals fused into a hollow flower with a spur at the end is characteristic of larkspur. The spur is a distinctive feature that helps separate it from other common plants in pastures. Poison hemlock, for example, has finely divided, lacy leaves and an umbrella-shaped cluster of small white flowers, not a spurred, tubular bloom. St. John’s Wort shows bright yellow petals and lacks the fused-petal flower with a spur. Showy Milkweed has larger leaves, dense bloom clusters, and later seed pods, rather than the spurred, tubular flowers of larkspur. Recognizing these traits is important because larkspur is highly toxic to livestock, so identifying it guides grazing management and noxious plant control decisions.