Compilation
Aquilegia canadensis

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Name

Identification
Aquilegia canadensis L. [family RANUNCULACEAE ] (stored under name); Aquilegia canadensis L. [family RANUNCULACEAE ] Verified by James L. Reveal,
Related name
  • Aquilegia canadensis
  • Aquilegia brevistyla
  • Aquilegia eminens
  • Aquilegia flavescens
  • Aquilegia elegantula
Common name
  • Canadian columbine, Flora of North America Vol. 3
  • ancolie du Canada, Flora of North America Vol. 3

Flora

Entry for Aquilegia canadensis Linnaeus [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Herbarium
Flora of North America (FNA)
Collection
Flora of North America
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of North America, Vol 3,
Names
Aquilegia canadensis Linnaeus [family RANUNCULACEAE], Sp. Pl., 1: 533-534. 1753
Aquilegia australis Small [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Aquilegia canadensis var. australis (Small) Munz [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Aquilegia canadensis var. coccinea (Small) Munz [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Aquilegia canadensis var. eminens (Greene) B. Boivin [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Aquilegia canadensis var. latiuscula (Greene) Munz [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Aquilegia coccinea Small [family RANUNCULACEAE]
Information
Stems 15-90 cm. Basal leaves 2×-ternately compound, 7-30 cm, much shorter than stems; leaflets green adaxially, 17-52 mm, not viscid; primary petiolules 17-93 mm (leaflets not crowded), glabrous or pilose, sometimes somewhat viscid. Flowers pendent; sepals divergent from floral axis, red or apex green, lance-ovate to oblong-ovate, 8-18 × 3-8 mm, apex broadly acute to acuminate; petals: spurs red, straight, ± parallel to divergent, 13-25 mm, stout (at least proximally), abruptly narrowed near middle, blades pale yellow or yellow-green, oblong to rounded, 5-9 × 4-8 mm; stamens 15-23 mm. Follicles 15-31 mm; beak 10-18 mm. 2n = 14.
Phenology
Flowering spring-summer (Mar-Jun)
Altitude range
0-1600 m
Distribution
USA Ala.USA Ark.USA Conn.USA Del.USA Fla.USA Ga.USA Ill.USA Ind.USA IowaUSA Kans.USA Ky.USA MaineUSA Md.USA Mass.USA Mich.USA Minn.USA Mo.USA Nebr.USA N.H.USA N.J.USA N.Y.USA N.C.USA N.Dak.USA OhioUSA Okla.USA Pa.USA R.I.USA S.C.USA S.Dak.USA Tenn.USA Tex.USA Vt.USA Va.USA W.Va.USA Wis.Canada Man.Canada Ont.Canada Que.Canada Sask.
Discussion
P. A. Munz divided this species into five varieties, based on size of the plants, sepals, and leaflets and whether the leaves are 2-3×-ternately compound. The variation in size of these organs is not discontinuous or even bimodal, however, and I have not seen any material with 3×-ternately compound leaves. For this reason, no varieties are recognized here. The name Aquilegia canadensis var. hybrida Hooker has been misapplied to this species; the type specimen actually belongs to A. brevistyla (B. Boivin 1953).
Aquilegia canadensis has also been reported from New Brunswick, but the specimen has been destroyed and the species has never been recollected in the province.
Native Americans prepare infusions from various parts of plants of Aquilegia canadensis to treat heart trouble, kidney problems, headaches, bladder problems, and fever, and as a wash for poison ivy; pulverized seeds were used as love charms; and a compound was used to detect bewitchment (D. E. Moerman 1986).

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