| Author | Lamarck | |
| Distribution | SERNEC (misspelled delphinifolia) has specimens from Moore and Scotland counties. RAB (1968) lumps it within C. major var. stellata, but FNA and Weakley (2020) recognize it at the species level, although FNA says "questionably distinct from C. major". As Weakley (2020) accepts it as a valid species and with natural occurrences in the state, the taxon editors accept it here as native, though feel that molecular research needs to be done before truly accepting it as a valid species. Smith (1976) in his monograph treated it as of hybrid origin; DNA research is sorely needed to settle the matter. Current populations are documented from nearby roadsides in southeastern Moore County (July 2022) and northern Hoke County on Fort Liberty (June 2023).
Southeastern VA to central GA and southeastern TN. | |
| Abundance | Very rare in the Sandhills region; unknown elsewhere. The NCNHP has recently started to track the species, as Significantly Rare, but give a State Rank of SH (Historical), despite at least one recent (2022) record. The website editors suggest a State Rank of S1?, for now. The Moore population is modest; the Hoke population is robust, at least 50 plants. | |
| Habitat | "Dry woodlands" (Weakley 2020). The 2022 populations in Moore County occurred on roadsides and just within dry woodlands. The 2023 Hoke population occurred on a high diversity, dry-mesic terrace near Little River. | |
| Phenology | Flowers and fruits May to July. | |
| Identification | Plants appear to be a narrow-leaflet form of Greater Tickseed (Coreopsis major). In 2021 a sizable population of narrow-leaflet plants was found at Calloway Preserve in Hoke County by BA Sorrie. Leaflets measured 4-9 mm wide. However, no leaflets showed any tendency to lobing or dessecting, and so were identified as C. major. See drawings in Smith"s Monograph (Sida 6: 175). In 2022 two populations were found in Moore County, in which most plants had some pinnatifid leaflets. These (see photo below) most closely resembled Fig. 28E of Smith, which he said is "material approaching C. xdelphinifolia". Thus, it may be that the 2022 plants represent backcrosses between delphiniifolia and major. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | See comments above.
For excellent drawings of all species (except those recently described) and range maps (although now out-of-date), see the monograph by Smith (1976). | |
| Other Common Name(s) | Larkspur Coreopsis | |
| State Rank | SH [S1?] | |
| Global Rank | G3? | |
| State Status | SR-T | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
