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ancolie vulgaire, European columbine

oil shale columbine

Stems

30-72 cm.

30-80 cm.

Basal leaves

2x-ternately compound, 10-30 cm, much shorter than stems;

leaflets green adaxially, to 15-47 mm, not viscid;

primary petiolules 22-60 mm (leaflets not crowded), pilose or rarely glabrous.

2-3x-ternately compound, 5-30 cm, much shorter than stems;

leaflets to 8-20 mm, glaucous on both sides, not viscid;

primary petiolules 17-34 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous.

Flowers

nodding;

sepals divergent from or perpendicular to floral axis, mostly blue or purple, lance-ovate, (10-)15-25 × 8-12 mm, apex broadly acute or obtuse;

petals: spurs mostly blue or purple, hooked, 14-22 mm, stout, evenly tapered from base, blades mostly blue or purple, oblong, 10-13 × 6-10 mm;

stamens 9-13 mm.

erect or nodding;

sepals perpendicular to floral axis, pink, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, 10-18 × 5-7 mm, apex acute or acuminate;

petals: spurs pink, straight, ± parallel, 14-27 mm, stout proximally, slender distally, evenly tapered from base, blades yellow or cream, oblong, 6-10 × 4-6 mm;

stamens 11-16 mm.

Follicles

15-25 mm;

beak 7-15 mm.

18-25 mm;

beak 8-12 mm.

2n

= 14 (Europe).

Aquilegia vulgaris

Aquilegia barnebyi

Phenology Flowering spring–summer (May–Jul). Flowering summer (Jun–Jul).
Habitat Disturbed habitats Cliff walls and talus slopes, usually on shale
Elevation 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) 1500-2600 m (4900-8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; IA; IL; MA; ME; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; VT; WA; WV; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; native to Europe [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Aquilegia vulgaris is cultivated as an ornamental and occasionally escapes into disturbed habitats. Most plants have blue or purple flowers (the wild type), but horticultural races with white or reddish flowers sometimes become established. Many cultivated columbines are derived from hybrids between A. vulgaris and related species. Some of our escaped plants are probably descended from such hybrids.

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

Aquilegia barnebyi is endemic to the Green River drainage. It is very similar to A. micrantha, and intermediate plants are found in Colorado.

(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. flavescens, A. formosa, A. hinckleyana, A. jonesii, A. laramiensis, A. longissima, A. micrantha, A. pubescens, A. saximontana, A. scopulorum, A. shockleyi
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. shockleyi, A. vulgaris
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 533. (1753) Munz: Leafl. W. Bot. 5: 177-178. (1949)
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