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December 12, 2005 : Aquilegia formosa
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Keywords: Ranunculaceae | Aquilegia formosa Fisch. ex DC. | near Merritt, British Columbia
This photograph was taken only a few steps away from this Populus tremuloides in June.
Distributed throughout western North America, the specific epithet (formosa) for red or western columbine means “beautiful”. Apt.
According to Parish, Coupé and Lloyd in Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia, the word columbine is a derivation of the Latin columbina, meaning “dove-like” (Columbina passerina is the scientific name for the common ground-dove). Parish et al. write: “The arched petals and spurs of the flowers resemble a quintet of doves arranged in a ring around a dish (a favourite device of ancient artists).” I can see the resemblance, but I don't think I would have imagined it on my own.
As an aside, please note that if you come across the epithets formosana or formosanum, they have a different and unrelated meaning: of Formosa, or, using the modern name for that island, of Taiwan.
Botany resource link: Plant Physiology Online is a supplement to a printed textbook, but much of the writing can still be used without the context of the accompanying book, such as How Water Climbs to the Top of a 112m-tall Tree.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at December 12, 2005 2:00 AM
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Posted by: Beverley at December 12, 2005 12:43 PM
Brickell/Zuk: Zone 4
Jelitto/Schact: Zone 5
Phillips/Burrell: Zone 3
Phillips/Rix: -25C
Thomas: Zone 4
Range is plenty big enough for hardiness to vary with provenance.
Posted by: Ron B at December 12, 2005 6:24 PM
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Aquilegia formosa - Z3 - RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths