columbine

 

(kŏl'əmbīn) , any plant of the genus Aquilegia, temperate-zone perennials of the family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family), popular both as wildflowers and as garden flowers. Columbines have delicate and attractive foliage and flower petals with long spurs that secrete nectar. The common Eastern red-and-yellow-flowered wild columbine (A. canadensis), frequenting rocky places, is also called rockbell; it is a favorite of hummingbirds, and Native Americans made an infusion of the seeds for headache and fever. The blue-and-white-flowered A. coerulea of the Rockies is the state flower of Colorado. The common European columbine (A. vulgaris), blue, white, or purple flowered, has been the source of many cultivars—some double and of various soft colors. Columbine is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Ranunculales, family Ranunculaceae.

Aquilegia
Aquilegia flavescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Ranunculales Family: Ranunculaceae Genus: Aquilegia L.
Species
See text

Aquilegia (columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species of herbaceous perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are known for their distinctive flowers, generally bell-shaped, with each petal modified into an elongated nectar spur.

Several species are grown in gardens; Aquilegia vulgaris (European Columbine) is a traditional garden flower in the British Isles, and several of the species that are native to North America are popular garden plants there. Numerous hybrids have also been developed as well. They are easy to propagate from seed.

They are used as food plants by some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth, Dot Moth, The Engrailed and Mouse Moth.

The traditional colors of lavender/blue columbines are the official Colorado state flower.

Selected species

• Aquilegia alpina
• Aquilegia atrata – Dark Columbine
• Aquilegia atrovinosa
• Aquilegia aurea
• Aquilegia barbaricina
• Aquilegia barnebyi – Oil Shale Columbine
• Aquilegia bernardii
• Aquilegia bertolonii
• Aquilegia blecicii
• Aquilegia brevistyla – Smallflower Columbine
• Aquilegia buergeriana
• Aquilegia caerulea – Colorado Blue Columbine
• Aquilegia canadensis – Canadian Columbine, Red Columbine
• Aquilegia champagnatii
• Aquilegia chrysantha – Golden Columbine
• Aquilegia desertorum – Desert Columbine
• Aquilegia desolatica – Desolation Columbine
• Aquilegia dinarica
• Aquilegia ecalcarata
• Aquilegia einseleana
• Aquilegia elegantula – Western Red Columbine
• Aquilegia eximia – Van Houtte's Columbine
• Aquilegia flabellata
• Aquilegia flavescens – Yellow Columbine
• Aquilegia formosa – Crimson Columbine, Western Columbine
• Aquilegia glandulosa
• Aquilegia grahamii – Graham's Columbine
• Aquilegia grata
• Aquilegia incurvata
• Aquilegia japonica
• Aquilegia jonesii – Jones's Columbine
• Aquilegia karatavica
• Aquilegia karelini
• Aquilegia kitaibelii
• Aquilegia lactiflora
• Aquilegia laramiensis – Laramie Columbine
• Aquilegia litardierei
• Aquilegia longissima – Longspur Columbine
• Aquilegia loriae
• Aquilegia micrantha – Mancos Columbine
• Aquilegia moorcroftiana
• Aquilegia nigricans
• Aquilegia nugorensis
• Aquilegia nuragica
• Aquilegia olympica
• Aquilegia ottonis
• Aquilegia oxysepala
• Aquilegia pancicii
• Aquilegia parviflora
• Aquilegia pubescens – Sierra Columbine
• Aquilegia pubiflora
• Aquilegia pyrenaica
• Aquilegia rockii
• Aquilegia thalictrifolia
• Aquilegia saximontana – Rocky Mountain Columbine
• Aquilegia schockleyi
• Aquilegia scopulorum – Blue Columbine, Utah Columbine
• Aquilegia sibirica
• Aquilegia transsilvanica
• Aquilegia triternata – Chiricahua Mountain Columbine
• Aquilegia turczaninovii
• Aquilegia viridiflora
• Aquilegia viscosa
• Aquilegia vitalii
• Aquilegia vulgaris – Common Columbine, European Columbine
• Aquilegia yabeana

References

• Flora Europaea: Aquilegia
• USDA PLant Profile: Aquilegia
• Flora of China: Aquilegia (see also links to related floras therein)

hsb:Módra akelajands-nl:Klokjen

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