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yellow columbine

blue columbine, smallflower columbine

Stems

20-70 cm.

20-80 cm.

Basal leaves

2x-ternately compound, 8-30 cm, much shorter than stems;

leaflets green adaxially, to 14-42 mm, not viscid;

primary petiolules to 13-67 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous or pilose.

2x-ternately compound, 5-30 cm, much shorter than stems;

leaflets green adaxially, to 12-44 mm, not viscid;

primary petiolules 10-55 mm (leaflets not crowded), distally pilose or occasionally glabrous.

Flowers

nodding;

sepals perpendicular to floral axis, yellow or tinged with pink, elliptic-lanceolate to oblong, 12-22 × 4-10 mm, apex obtuse to acute or sometimes acuminate;

petals: spurs yellow, tips incurved, 10-18 mm, stout, evenly tapered from base or more abruptly narrowed near middle, blades cream colored, oblong, 7-10 × 4-8 mm;

stamens 12-17 mm.

nodding;

sepals divergent from floral axis, blue, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, 13-16 × 3-6 mm, apex acuminate or acute;

petals: spurs blue, hooked, 5-10 mm, stout, evenly tapered from base, blades white or pale yellow, oblong, 7-10 × 3-6 mm;

stamens 7-11 mm.

Follicles

18-27 mm;

beak 8-10 mm.

15-25 mm;

beak 3-4 mm.

2n

= 14, 16.

Aquilegia flavescens

Aquilegia brevistyla

Phenology Flowering summer (Jun–Aug). Flowering summer (Jun–Aug).
Habitat Moist mountain meadows and alpine slopes Open woods, meadows, shores, and rock outcrops
Elevation 1300-3500 m (4300-11500 ft) 800-3500 m (2600-11500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; MT; SD; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; ON; SK; YT
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Aquilegia flavescens sometimes forms hybrid swarms with A. formosa var. formosa, which grows at lower elevations through much of its range. Intermediate specimens having pinkish red flowers and petal blades 5-6 mm are occasionally found where these species grow together. The name A. flavescens var. miniana has sometimes been mistakenly applied to these intermediates, but the type of var. miniana is a typical, pink-sepaled plant of A. flavescens.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Aquilegia brevistyla has been reported from Minnesota. All Minnesota material seen, however, has been misidentified.

The chromosome number in this species needs to be reinvestigated.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

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. elegantula, A. eximia, 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. 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. shockleyi, A. vulgaris
Synonyms A. flavescens var. miniana
Name authority S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 10. (1871) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 24. (1829)
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