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shooting-star columbine, western red columbine

desert columbine

Stems

10-60 cm.

40-100 cm.

Basal leaves

2x-ternately compound, 15-30 cm, usually shorter than stems;

leaflets green adaxially, to 11-33 mm, not viscid;

primary petiolules 17-58 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous or pilose.

2-3x-ternately compound, 9-45 cm, much shorter than stems;

leaflets to 11-38 mm, sometimes viscid, glaucous on both surfaces;

primary petiolules 23-80 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous or pilose.

Flowers

pendent;

sepals erect, red proximally, yellow-green distally, elliptic-ovate, 7-11 × 4-5 mm, apex rounded to acute;

petals: spurs red, straight, ± parallel, 16-23 mm, stout (at least proximally), abruptly narrowed near middle, blades yellow-green, oblong or rounded, 6-8 × 3-4 mm;

stamens 8-14 mm.

nodding;

sepals perpendicular to floral axis, red (or sometimes partly yellow or green), lanceolate to elliptic, 10-20 × 4-8 mm, apex acuminate or acute;

petals: spurs red or pink, straight, ± parallel, 12-25(-30) mm, rather stout, usually abruptly narrowed near middle, blades yellow, oblong or rounded, 2-5 × 4-7 mm;

stamens 12-16 mm.

Follicles

13-20 mm;

beak 13-15 mm.

14-25 mm;

beak 9-12 mm.

Aquilegia elegantula

Aquilegia shockleyi

Phenology Flowering spring–summer (May–Jul). Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Aug).
Habitat Moist coniferous forests, especially along streams Moist places in dry woodlands and shrublands
Elevation 1500-3500 m (4900-11500 ft) 1200-2700 m (3900-8900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Aquilegia Ranunculaceae > Aquilegia
Sibling taxa
A. barnebyi, A. brevistyla, A. canadensis, A. chaplinei, A. chrysantha, A. coerulea, A. desertorum, A. eximia, A. flavescens, A. formosa, A. hinckleyana, A. jonesii, A. laramiensis, A. longissima, A. micrantha, A. pubescens, A. saximontana, A. scopulorum, A. shockleyi, A. vulgaris
A. barnebyi, A. brevistyla, A. canadensis, A. chaplinei, A. chrysantha, A. coerulea, A. desertorum, A. elegantula, A. eximia, A. flavescens, A. formosa, A. hinckleyana, A. jonesii, A. laramiensis, A. longissima, A. micrantha, A. pubescens, A. saximontana, A. scopulorum, A. vulgaris
Synonyms A. formosa var. caelifax, A. mohavensis
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 4: 14-15. (1899) Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 32: 193-194. (1905)
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