Aquilegia eximia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Aquilegia
Species:
A. eximia
Binomial name
Aquilegia eximia
Synonyms

Aquilegia fontinalis

Aquilegia eximia is a species of columbine known by the common names serpentine columbine or Van Houtte's columbine. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the moist forests of the Coast Ranges, usually on serpentine soils.[1]

Description

This is a perennial herb growing from a thick caudex and varying in height, reaching a maximum height near 1.5 meters. The lower leaves are divided into large, leaflike segments up to 4 or 5 centimeters long and a lobed oval in shape. Leaves farther up the stem are not segmented but may be deeply lobed. The inflorescence bears a large, nodding columbine flower. Each flower has five bright red to orange-red flat sepals up to nearly 3 centimeters long, and five petals which are hollow spurs up to 4 centimeters long, bright orange-red on the outer surface and lighter orange to yellow inside. The mouth of each hollow petal tube is up to a centimeter wide. The sepals and petals are generally reflexed back toward the stem and the five pistils and many thin stamens extend forward from the center of the flower.

Landscape use

An excellent landscape plant for some regions of California.[2]

References

  1. "The Jepson Herbarium".
  2. "Serpentine columbine | UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden".


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