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Fam:   Ranunculaceae Juss.
Genus:   Aquilegia L.
English Name: Granny's bonnet or Columbine

Description:

Grassy perennials. The rhizome is usually shorter, less often long, not articulated, with more or less massive roots. Stems erect, woody. Leaves spirally, double or triple feather similar. The flowers are on the top, hanging, single, rarely assembled in broom-like inflorescences, androgynous, correct. The shares of the perianthium 10, corolla similar, spirally disposed; the inner circle of five perianthium leaflets with a long retrogrede nectar spur. The stamens numerous, those from the inner circles passing through wide wrinkled staminodiums, located between the stamens and the fruitys ones. Fruitys 5, seldom (8) 10, sitting, free, upright, narrow, gradually narrowed in a long-lived column. Fruit assembled, from multi-seeded, free bubbles. The seeds are large, smooth, shiny, in two rows. Insect polinating. Propagate with seeds.

Economic importance. Poisonous plants. A. vulgaris L. has insecticidal properties. Used in painting. All members of the genus are honey and are grown as ornamental plants. Many hybrid garden forms have been produced.

Table specifying species 1.   Flowers violet-blue, pink or less white ......................................................................................................................................... 1. - A. vulgaris L. 1* Serum yellow flowers ………………………………………..............................................................................…………….. 2. - A. aurea Janka ¹ Developed by M. Markova.

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Aquilegia (common names: granny's bonnet or columbine) is a genus of about 60-70 species[1] of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals [2] of their flowers.

Etymology

The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle's claw. The common name "columbine" comes from the Latin for "dove", due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together.[3]

Description

The leaves of this plant are compound and the flowers contain five sepals, five petals and five pistils. The fruit is a follicle which holds many seeds and is formed at the end of the pistils. Underneath the flower are spurs which contain nectar, mainly consumed by long-beaked birds such as hummingbirds.[4]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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References: „Флора на НР България”, том IV, БАН, София, (1970), Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Distribution in Bulgaria: (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc.
Distribution:

SPECIES:

Aquilegia aurea Janka - x   x   x

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