# Identify this flower?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 13, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791 "2007-03-13T20:30:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791/1 "2007-03-13T20:30:22Z")

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My GF got a bouquet of flowers from her parents recently, and there was a particularly pretty type of flower in it. Neither one of us knows what it is, but she made a quick [sketch](http://ylla.org/temp/blueflower.jpg) of it; can any florally knowledgeable Dopers help us figure out what it is?

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**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791/2 "2007-03-13T20:38:38Z")

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[Bluebells](http://www.turtlepuddle.org/pix/Flowers/bluebells-of-Scotland.jpg), maybe?

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791/3 "2007-03-13T20:43:08Z")

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No, we had already ruled bluebells out; the flowers we have have separate petals, overlapping somewhat (this is what the darker patches on the sketch indicate). They also don’t have any sepals, and they have a sort of “back claw” that sticks out of the top.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791/4 "2007-03-13T20:43:44Z")

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It looks very much like a Larkspur/Delphinium my aunt had when I was young. I’ve found, though, that “Delphinium” is a genus with over 100 species, some of which look nothing like that… but it’s a lead for others to follow.

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-flower/395791/5 "2007-03-13T20:46:38Z")

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[Larkspur](http://www.shimadadesigns.com/images/lg_larkspur.jpg) it is. Thanks for your help!