Delphinium scabriflorum D. Don, Mem. Wern. Soc. 3: 413. 1821; Munz in J. Arn. Arb. 49: 114. 1968. D. carela D. Don, Prorlr. Fl. Nep. 195. 1825.

Perennial from a woody rootstock; stems 60 - 120 cm high, slender, branched above, remotely spreading hairy, some glandular. Leaves pentagonal in outline. Lower leaves with petioles up to 30 cm long; lamina of lower leaves open-cordate, 5 - 15 cm across, 5-fid to near the base or 1 - 2 m above; the segments subcuneate below, incised-lobed, stiff-pubescent on both sides; locules oblong-ovate, 2 - 5 mm wide; petioles 10 - 20 cm long, scarcely sheathed at base. Upper leaves gradually reduced. Racemes open, 8 - 12-flowered, with few-flowered branches from below, densely short hairy with some hairs glandular; lower bracts foliose, divided, up to 3 cm long; the upper simple, entire, linear to lanceolate, 1 - 2 cm long; pedicels arched-spreading, 1 - 5 cm long, densely pubescent; bracteoles linear-lanceolate; 0.5 - 1 cm long. Sepals dark blue to blue-violet, with rather stiff appressed hairs; upper sepal orbicular-ovate, ca 1.5 x 1 cm; spur ca 1.8 cm long, ca 3 mm wide; lateral sepal unequally obovate, ca 1.5 x 0.8 cm. Petals blue or light purple; upper laminae oblique, ca 12 x 3 mm, glabrous, bidentate; spur 1.5 - 1.6 cm long; lower laminae oblong, bifid at apex into 2 unequal oblong-lanceolate lobes, 5 - 6 x 3 - 4 mm, white ciliate; claw ca 6 mm long, bearded. Stamens 6 - 7 mm long; anthers elongate, ca 1.5 mm long. Follicles 3 - 4, cylindrical, subglabrous or pilose, with short beaks; seeds not winged.

Fl. June - Aug.

Distrib. Mossy rocks near streams along open or wooded hillsides, 1800 - 2200 m. Meghalaya.

Nepal and Bhutan.