Aquilegia chrysantha
Aquilegia scopulorum
golden columbine
rock columbine, Utah columbine
30-120 cm.
5-30 cm.
2-3x-ternately compound, 9-45 cm, much shorter than stems;
leaflets green adaxially, to 11-55 mm, not viscid;
primary petiolules 20-50 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous or distally pilose.
2x-ternately compound, 3-12 cm, much shorter than stems;
leaflets to 5-14 mm, not viscid, glaucous on both sides;
primary petiolules 3-15 mm (leaflets densely crowded), glabrous or pilose.
erect;
sepals perpendicular to floral axis, yellow, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 20-36 × 5-10 mm, apex narrowly acute or acuminate;
petals: spurs yellow, straight, ± parallel or divergent, 42-65 mm, slender, evenly tapered from base, blades yellow, oblong, 13-23 × 6-15 mm;
stamens 12-25 mm.
erect;
sepals perpendicular to floral axis, blue to white or sometimes reddish purple, ovate-oblong, 13-22 × 4-10 mm, apex obtuse or broadly acute;
petals: spurs blue to white or reddish purple, straight, ± parallel, 25-40 mm, slender, evenly tapered from base, blades white, yellow, blue, or reddish purple, oblong or spatulate, 8-14 × 4-7 mm;
stamens 11-15 mm.
18-30 mm;
beak 10-18 mm.
10-18 mm;
beak 8-11 mm.
Aquilegia chrysantha
Aquilegia scopulorum
Colorado populations supposedly having spurs only 35-40 mm have been called Aquilegia chrysantha var. rydbergii. Material seen from this area falls within the normal range of variation of the species. Populations intermediate between A. chrysantha and A. coerulea var. pinetorum occur in northern Arizona (M. Butterwick et al. 1991).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Populations intermediate between Aquilegia scopulorum and A. coerulea are known from Utah. Aquilegia scopulorum has also been reported from southern Wyoming; the record is doubtful.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
CalFlora
