Aquilegia formosa is a perennial herb[1] that grows to 20–80 cm in height, averaging around 60 cm. Flowers, which can be seen from April to August (with some variation between regions), are about 5 cm long and red and yellow in color. The sepals and petal spurs are typically a reddish-orange color, attributed to the anthocyanin pigments pelargonidin and cyanidin,[2] and carotenoids. Petal blades are yellow, pigmented by carotenoids. The primary pollinators are hummingbirds, although bees, butterflies, and flies will also visit flowers.[3] Despite several floral adaptations to hummingbird pollination, at ~9,000-10,000 feet in elevation in the eastern drainages of the central Sierra Nevada mountains of California, A. formosa forms hybrid zones with Aquilegia pubescens, which is primarily pollinated by hawk moths.
The flowers are edible, with a sweet taste—though the seeds can be fatal if eaten, and most parts of the plant contain cyanogenic glycosides.[4]
Distributionedit
Within its range, the crimson columbine can be found in most kinds of habitat (chaparral, oak woodland, mixed-evergreen or coniferous forest). It is not found on desert floors, nor at altitudes above 3300 metres, and it is absent from the Central Valley of California. It prefers moist locations such as stream banks.
Some Plateau Indian tribes used the Aquilegia formosa to concoct a perfume.[5] It is also used medicinally by several Native American tribes.[6]
Etymologyedit
Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word 'aquila', meaning 'eagle', or possibly from the MedievalGerman words 'Acheleia' or 'Akelei'; this name is in reference to its talon-like nectaries. Formosa means 'handsome', 'beautiful', or 'well-formed'.[7]
Referencesedit
^"Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
^Taylor, Ronald J (1984). "Floral Anthocyanins of Aquilegia and Their Relationship to Distribution and Pollination Biology of the Species". The Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Society. 111 (4): 462–468. doi:10.2307/2995896. JSTOR 2995896. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
^Fulton, Michelle; Hodges, Scott A. (August 1999). "Floral isolation between Aquilegia formosa and Aquilegia pubescens". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 266 (1435): 2247–2252. doi:10.1098/rspb.1999.0915. PMC1690454.
^Vizgirdas, Ray S.; Edna M. Rey-Vizgirdas (2006). Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada. University of Nevada Press. p. 61. ISBN978-0-87417-535-6.
Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Aquilegia formosa
UC Photos gallery — Aquilegia formosa
December 15, 2023
aquilegia, formosa, crimson, columbine, western, columbine, ambiguously, columbine, common, wildflower, native, western, north, america, from, alaska, baja, california, eastward, montana, wyoming, scientific, classificationkingdom, plantaeclade, tracheophytesc. Aquilegia formosa the crimson columbine western columbine or ambiguously red columbine is a common wildflower native to western North America from Alaska to Baja California and eastward to Montana and Wyoming Aquilegia formosaScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsOrder RanunculalesFamily RanunculaceaeGenus AquilegiaSpecies A formosaBinomial nameAquilegia formosaFisch ex DC Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution 3 Native American use 4 Etymology 5 References 6 External linksDescription editAquilegia formosa is a perennial herb 1 that grows to 20 80 cm in height averaging around 60 cm Flowers which can be seen from April to August with some variation between regions are about 5 cm long and red and yellow in color The sepals and petal spurs are typically a reddish orange color attributed to the anthocyanin pigments pelargonidin and cyanidin 2 and carotenoids Petal blades are yellow pigmented by carotenoids The primary pollinators are hummingbirds although bees butterflies and flies will also visit flowers 3 Despite several floral adaptations to hummingbird pollination at 9 000 10 000 feet in elevation in the eastern drainages of the central Sierra Nevada mountains of California A formosa forms hybrid zones with Aquilegia pubescens which is primarily pollinated by hawk moths The flowers are edible with a sweet taste though the seeds can be fatal if eaten and most parts of the plant contain cyanogenic glycosides 4 Distribution editWithin its range the crimson columbine can be found in most kinds of habitat chaparral oak woodland mixed evergreen or coniferous forest It is not found on desert floors nor at altitudes above 3300 metres and it is absent from the Central Valley of California It prefers moist locations such as stream banks nbsp Crimson columbine Aquilegia formosa truncata taken at Castle Lake California Native American use editSome Plateau Indian tribes used the Aquilegia formosa to concoct a perfume 5 It is also used medicinally by several Native American tribes 6 Etymology editAquilegia is derived from the Latin word aquila meaning eagle or possibly from the Medieval German words Acheleia or Akelei this name is in reference to its talon like nectaries Formosa means handsome beautiful or well formed 7 References edit Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The University of Texas at Austin www wildflower org Retrieved 2021 12 06 Taylor Ronald J 1984 Floral Anthocyanins of Aquilegia and Their Relationship to Distribution and Pollination Biology of the Species The Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Society 111 4 462 468 doi 10 2307 2995896 JSTOR 2995896 Retrieved 16 April 2021 Fulton Michelle Hodges Scott A August 1999 Floral isolation between Aquilegia formosa and Aquilegia pubescens Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 266 1435 2247 2252 doi 10 1098 rspb 1999 0915 PMC 1690454 Vizgirdas Ray S Edna M Rey Vizgirdas 2006 Wild Plants of the Sierra Nevada University of Nevada Press p 61 ISBN 978 0 87417 535 6 Hunn Eugene S 1990 Nch i Wana The Big River Mid Columbia Indians and Their Land University of Washington Press p 351 ISBN 0 295 97119 3 Aquilegia formosa Gledhill David 2008 The Names of Plants Cambridge University Press ISBN 9780521866453 hardback ISBN 9780521685535 paperback pp 53 169External links edit nbsp Media related to Aquilegia formosa at Wikimedia Commons Calflora Database Aquilegia formosa western columbine crimson columbine Jepson Manual eFlora TJM2 treatment of Aquilegia formosa UC Photos gallery Aquilegia formosa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aquilegia formosa amp oldid 1180152779, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
