AQUILEGIA (from aquila, an eagle; in reference to the form of the petals). Columbine. ORD. Ranunculaceae. Erect hardy perennial herbs with fibrous roots. Flowers solitary or panicled, drooping; sepals five, petaloid, deciduous; petals five, concave, spurred; spurs very large, produced downwards into hollow tubes, and frequently curved at the extremity; carpels five, sessile, free. Radical leaves on long stalks, twice or thrice ternate, with trifid-toothed, usually blunt segments. Too much praise can scarcely be lavished upon this elegant genus of plants. They prefer a moist and sheltered situation, with exposure to the sun. The more robust species will thrive in ordinary garden soil, but the rarer and more delicate kinds require a good friable sandy loam and leaf soil, with good drainage. Seed is produced in abundance, and must be sown very thinly, as soon as practicable after being ripe, in a shady place or in pans in a cold frame. When up, and strong enough to remove, the seedlings may be planted out where they are to flower, allowing every plant at least 9in. each way. The strong-growing kinds may be placed in the border, the dwarf ones on the rockery. When in blossom, the inferior sorts should be weeded out, retaining only the best varieties. To obtain seed true of any species, it is absolutely necessary to plant the separate kinds far apart, and cover them with fine muslin, to prevent the access of insects to the flowers, as none are more easily cross-fertilised. Division of the root is the only way to perpetuate any particular variety with certainty, unless seed is saved in the way mentioned, or imported from the native habitats of particular species. There are many beautiful hybrids, as well as species, in cultivation. AQUILEGIA alpina (alpine).* fl. from 2in. to 3in. in diameter when expanded, deep blue or blue and white, on leafy, two to three-flowered stems; spurs straight, but somewhat incurved at the apex, one-half shorter than the petal limb. May. l. with segments deeply divided into linear lobes. h. 1ft. Alps of Switzerland, in shady humid places, 1731. Plant this on the rockery. AQUILEGIA arctica (Arctic). A form of AQUILEGIA formosa. AQUILEGIA atropurpurea (dark purple). fl. dark purple or bluish violet, about 1in. or 1 1/2in. in diameter when expanded, two or three in a head; spurs straight, equal in length with the petals' limb; sepals about as long as the petals. May. l. petioled, biternate. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia. Border plant. AQUILEGIA aurea (golden). A synonym of AQUILEGIA chrysantha flavescens. AQUILEGIA Bertoloni (Bertoloni's).* fl. about 1in. across, blue-violet throughout; sepals about 3/4in. long, rounded; petals about the same length; spurs very short, knobbed; stems two to four flowered. June and July. l. small, dark green, and glaucous. A very pretty little alpine, growing about 1ft. high. SYN. AQUILEGIA Reuteri. AQUILEGIA caerulea (sky-blue).* fl. several on a stem, blue and white, sometimes more or less tinted with lilac or claret, rarely pure white, when expanded 2 1/2in. to 3in. in diameter; spur very slender, nearly straight, green tipped, about 2in. long. April to July. l. large, biterrate. h. 9in. to 15in. Rocky Mountains, 1864. A very lovely species for the border or base of the rockery. SYNS. AQUILEGIA leptoceras, AQUILEGIA macrantha. AQUILEGIA caerulea alba (white).* fl. the same size and form as the type, white throughout. Rocky Mountains. A very rare and lovely variety; sometimes met with under the name of AQUILEGIA grandiflora. AQUILEGIA caerulea hybrida (hybrid).* fl. blue and white, not so wide across as the type, but more numerous, and the plant has a much more vigorous habit. Of garden origin. AQUILEGIA californica (Californian). A form of AQUILEGIA formosa. AQUILEGIA Canadensis (Canadian).* fl. scarlet, mixed with yellow, less than 1in. in diameter; spur straight, longer than the limb; styles and stamens protruding; sepals acutish, a little longer than the petals' limb. April to June. l., segments three-parted, bluntish, and deeply toothed at the apex. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North America, 1640. Border or rockery; very pretty. AQUILEGIA chrysantha (yellow-flowered).* fl., sepals primrose yellow, spreading horizontally in full expansion, nearly or quite 1in. long, tinted claret at the tip; limb of petals deeper yellow, not quite so long; spur straight, very slender, divergent, 1 1/2in. to 2in. long; stems many-flowered. May to August. l. biternate. h. 3ft. to 4ft. California, 1873. One of the finest of all hardy perennials for the border. AQUILEGIA chrysantha flavescens (yellow).* fl. of a uniform bright canary yellow, tinged with red; spur somewhat shorter than in AQUILEGIA canadensis, and slightly incurved. California, 1872. SYN. A aurea. AQUILEGIA eximia (choice). Synonymous with AQUILEGIA formosa. AQUILEGIA flabellata (fan-shaped). fl. white, slightly tinted with violet-rose. A very early-flowering, compact-habited, dwarf, garden form. (R. H. 1887, p. 548.) AQUILEGIA formosa (handsome).* fl., sepals bright red, usually less than 1in. long, with an obtuse green tip; limb of petals yellow, abcut half as long as the sepals; spurs 1/2in. to 3/4in. long, slender in the lower half, nearly straight, distinctly knobbed at the tip; stems many-flowered. May to September. l. biternate. h. 2ft. to 4ft. North America. Border. The following are synonyms and varieties: AQUILEGIA arctica, AQUILEGIA california, AQUILEGIA eximia, and AQUILEGIA f. truncata, revealing only trivial differences. There is a very beautiful hybrid known in gardens as AQUILEGIA californica hybrida, with the sepals and petals yellowish, or tinged with orange, while the long slender spurs are orange red; it is one of the handsomest of all. All the forms are very showy, and well worth growing. AQUILEGIA fragrans (fragrant).* fl. white or pale claret purple, finely pubescent, very fragrant; sepals about 1 1/2in. long, not reflexing, twice longer than the broad petals' limb; spur slender, slightly curved, knobbed at the top, same length as the petals; stems few-flowered May to July. l. biternate. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. Himalayas, 1839. This requires a warm position. AQUILEGIA glandulosa (glandular).* fl., sepals bright lilac blue, about 1 1/2in. long, more than twice the length of the petals' limb; petals white; spur 1/4in. long, or but little more, stout, much incurved; stems one to three-flowered. Spring. l. biternate. h. 8in. to 12in. Siberia, 1822. Extremely pretty. AQUILEGIA glandulosa jucunda (pleasant). fl. rather smaller. Very handsome little plants, freely hybridised, and it is necessary to keep raising fresh batches, as they are scarcely more than biennial. AQUILEGIA glauca (glaucous). fl. white, tinted claret, fragrant; sepals 1in. long, not reflexing; limb of petals 3/4in. long; spur straight, or a little curved, about 1/3in. long; stem three to four-flowered. June. l. biternate. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Himalayas, 1839. Rather tender; plant in a warm dry position. AQUILEGIA leptoceras (slender-horned). A synonym of AQUILEGIA Coerulea. AQUILEGIA macrantha (large-flowered). A synonym of AQUILEGIA coerulea. AQUILEGIA olympica (Olympic).* fl. large; sepals delicate mauve blue; petals white, rather shorter than the sepals; spur stout, short, obtuse. l. bi-or triternate, glaucous. h. 1 1/2ft. 1880. Mount Olympus. AQUILEGIA olympica flore-pleno (double-flowered). fl. blue, with a white centre, very large. 1888. AQUILEGIA pyrenaica (Pyrenean).* fl., sepals bright lilac blue, about 1in. long, but not quite as much broad; limb of petals about 1/2in. long, and half as broad; spur slender, nearly straight, or rather incurved, nearly or quite 3/4in. long, scarcely knobbled at the end; stem one to three-flowered, with small and little compound deep green leaves. Summer. h. 9in. to 12in. Pyrenees, 1818. Plant on the rockery. AQUILEGIA Reuteri (Reuter's). Synonymous with AQUILEGIA Bertoloni. AQUILEGIA sibirica (Siberian).* fl. bright lilac; sepals very blunt, 1in. or a little more in length, spreading or slightly reflexing when fully expanded; limb of petals sometimes white, about 1/2in. long; spur stout, much incurved, 1/2in. to 3/4in. long; stems many-flowered, glabrous. Summer. l. biternate. h. 1ft. Siberia, 1806. Rockery species. Here are referred, by Mr. Baker, AQUILEGIA bicolor, AQUILEGIA Garnieriana, and AQUILEGIA speciosa. AQUILEGIA Skinneri (Skinner's). fl. drooping; petals with the limb yellowish-green and rounded, prolonged at base into a very long, tubular, lively red spur. Summer and autumn. l. mostly radical, glaucous, on long petioles, biternate; leaflets petiolulate and cordate, deeply three-lobed. Stem 2ft. to 3ft. high, panicled above. Guatemala. (B. M. 3919.) The variety flore-pleno (R. G. 1885, p. 57) has double flowers. AQUILEGIA thalictrifolia (Thalictrum-leaved). fl., sepals oblong, acute, lilac blue, about 1/2in. long; limb of petals about as long, and rounded at the top; spurs slender, not quite as long as the sepals; stems about three-flowered. Summer. l. with three-stalked segments cut into deep oblong lobes. h. 2ft. Tyrol, 1879. Entire plant clothed with fine pubescence. AQUILEGIA viridiflora (green-flowered). fl., sepals oval-oblong, shorter than the petals; spurs straight and longer than the petals; spurs straight and longer than the petals; stems two to three-flowered. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Siberia, 1780. Border-Rather a pleasing and sweet-scented green-flowered species, but not very ornamental. AQUILEGIA vulgaris (common).* Common Columbine. fl. variously coloured; sepals ovate acute, about 1in. long, and half as broad; limb of the petal rarely exceeding 3/4in. long, and half as much broad, rounded at the apex; spur much incurved, stout, knobbed at the end, as long as the petals; stems many-flowered. Spring and early summer. l. biternate. England, &c. There are numerous varieties of this very handsome species, both double and single-flowered. AQUILEGIA vulgaris alba (white). fl. pure white. AQUILEGIA vulgaris alba fl.-pl. Double white flowers. AQUILEGIA vulgaris caerulea nana fl.-pl. Very dwarf, with double deep blue flowers. AQUILEGIA vulgaris hybrida (hybrid). fl., sepals lilac purple, oblong-lanceolate, less than 1in. long; limb of the petals white, about 1/2in. long; spur scarcely incurved. AQUILEGIA vulgaris Vervaeneana. This variety has pretty yellow mottled foliage. AQUILEGIA vulgaris Wittmanniana (Wittmann's). fl. large, bright lilac purple; sepals ovate-acute, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, more than half as much broad; limb of petals white, about half the length of sepals; spur curved. A very fine variety. The following names are also met with in gardens, some of which represent specific forms, but none are effective as garden ornaments: advena, Burgeriana, Haylodgensis (hybrid), grata, longissima, nevadensis, oxysepala, &c.