Significations et usages de aquilegia

Columbines
flower and fruit of Aquilegia vulgaris (type species)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
(unranked):	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Ranunculaceae
Subfamily:	Thalictroideae
Genus:	Aquilegia L.
Species
60-70, see text

Aquilegia (Columbine; from Latin columba "dove") 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.

"Columbine" is derived from the Latin word for pigeon (columba). Another old-fashioned name for this cottage garden plant is "Granny's Bonnet" as the shape of the bloom resembles the mob caps old women used to wear.

  Description

Fruit is a follicle.^[3]

  Relatives

Columbines are closely related to plants in the genera Actaea (baneberries) and Aconitum (wolfsbanes/monkshoods), which like Aquilegia produce cardiogenic toxins.^[4]

  Insects

They are used as food plants by some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) caterpillars. These are mainly of noctuid moths – noted for feeding on many poisonous plants without harm – like Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae), Dot Moth (Melanchra persicariae) and Mouse Moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis). The Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia), a geometer moth, also uses columbine as larval foodplant.

  Cultivation

  Columbine cultivar 'Magpie'

  Double-flowered Aquilegia × hybrida

Several species are grown in gardens, including the European Columbine (A. vulgaris), a traditional garden flower in many parts of the world.^[5] Numerous cultivars and hybrids have also been developed as well. They are easy to propagate from seed.

Columbine is a perennial, which propagates by seed. It will grow to a height of 15 to 20 inches. It will grow in full sun, however, prefers growing in partial shade and well drained soil, and is able to tolerate average soils and dry soil conditions. Columbine is rated hardiness of Zone 3 so does not require mulching or protection in the winter.^[6][7]

Large numbers of hybrids are now available for the garden, since the British A vulgaris was joined by other European and N American varieties. ^[8] Aquilegia species are very interfertile, and will self sow.^[9]

  Uses

The flowers of various species of Colombine were consumed in moderation by Native Americans as a condiment with other fresh greens, and are reported to be very sweet, and safe if consumed in small quantities. The plant's seeds and roots are highly poisonous however, and contain cardiogenic toxins which cause both severe gastroenteritis and heart palpitations if consumed as food. Native Americans used very small amounts of Aquilegia root as an effective treatment for ulcers. However, the medical use of this plant is better avoided due to its high toxicity; columbine poisonings may be fatal.^[4]

  Culture

The Colorado Blue Columbine (A. caerulea) is the official state flower of Colorado (see also Columbine, Colorado).

  Evolution

Columbines have been important in the study of evolution. It was found that Sierra Columbine (A. pubescens) and Crimson Columbine (A. formosa) each have specifically adapted pollinators, with hawkmoths that can pollinate one species while usually failing to pollinate the other. Such a "pollination syndrome", being due to flower genetics, ensures reproductive isolation and can be a cause of underlying speciation.^[10]

  Petal Spur Evolution

Aquilegia petals show an enormous range of petal spur length diversity ranging from a centimeter to the 15 cm spurs of Aquilegia longissima. Interestingly, it was shown that this amazing spur length diversity is achieved solely through changing cell shape, not cell number or cell size. This suggests that a simple microscopic change can result in a dramatic evolutionarily relevant morphological change.^[2]

  Species

  Dark Columbine (Aquilegia atrata)

  Aquilegia alpina

  Fan Columbine (Aquilegia flabellata)

  Fragrant Columbine (Aquilegia fragrans)

  (Aquilegia × maruyamana)

  Pyrenean Columbine (Aquilegia pyrenaica)

Columbine species include:^[11]

  See also

• Nora Barlow

  Footnotes

  References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aquilegia

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Columbine (plant).

• Allan M. Armitage: Armitage's Native Plants for North American Gardens.Timber Press, 2006 ISBN 0-88192-760-0, ISBN 978-0-88192-760-3
• Dezhi, Fu; Robinson, Orbélia R. (2001): 19. Aquilegia. In: Wu, Z. Y.; Raven, Peter Hamilton & Hong, D. Y. (eds.): Flora of China (Vol. 6: Caryophyllaceae through Lardizabalaceae): 278. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. ISBN 1-930723-25-3 HTML fulltext
• Fulton, M.; Hodges, S. A. (1999). "Floral isolation between Aquilegia formosa and Aquilegia pubescens". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 266 (1435): 2247–2252. DOI:10.1098/rspb.1999.0915.  edit
• Hodges, S. A.; Whittall, J. B.; Fulton, M.; Yang, J. Y. (2002). "Genetics of Floral Traits Influencing Reproductive Isolation betweenAquilegia formosaandAquilegia pubescens". The American Naturalist 159: S51–S60. DOI:10.1086/338372. PMID 18707369.  edit
• Nold, Robert (2003): Columbines: Aquilegia, Paraquilegia, and Semiaquilegia. Timber Press. ISBN 0-88192-588-8 Preview at Google Books
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) [2008]: Digital Flora Europaea: Aquilegia species list. Retrieved 2008-NOV-25.
• Tilford, Gregory L. (1997): Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press Pub., Missoula, Montana. ISBN 0-87842-359-1
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) [2008]: USDA Plants Profile: Aquilegia. Retrieved 2008-NOV-25.
• Puzey, J. R.; Gerbode, S. J.; Hodges, S. A.; Kramer, E. M.; Mahadevan, L. (2011). "Evolution of spur-length diversity in Aquilegia petals is achieved solely through cell-shape anisotropy". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2011.1873.  edit

  Related Reading

• Kramer, E. M. (2009). Aquilegia: A New Model for Plant Development, Ecology, and Evolution Annual Review of Plant Biology, Vol. 60.