Aconitum columbianum | |
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Aconitum columbianum in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Ranunculales |
Family: | Ranunculaceae |
Genus: | Aconitum |
Species: | A. columbianum |
Binomial name | |
Aconitum columbianum | |
Synonyms | |
Aconitum geranioides |
Aconitum columbianum is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common names Columbian monkshood or western monkshood.
This wildflower is native to western North America where it grows in riparian and other moist areas, in meadows and coniferous forests. It is found from 600–2,900 metres (2,000–9,500 ft) in elevation. [1]
Aconitum columbianum is a herbaceous perennial that grows from a large tuber-like root with a spindle shape. [2] [3] The stems can be from 20-300 centimeters tall and be either erect or trailing. [4]
The leaves that are attached to the stems have as many as 7 deep divisions almost reaching the base of the leaf, but most often 3–5 divisions. There most often be about 2 millimeters of leaf tissue between the stem attachment to the leaf and the deepest point of each leaf division. [4] The edges of each leaf segment are toothed or cleft. [2] Each leaf is 5–15 centimeters wide. [4]
The flowering stem can either be a single stem without branches and multiple flowers called raceme or a branched panicle. [2] The flowers are most often blue, but can occasionally be white, cream colored, or white with a blush of blue at the margins of the sepals. The flowers are variable in size and can measure from 18–55 mm from the top of the upright "hood" sepal to the tips of the two downward pointing sepals. The two hanging (pendulous) sepals measure 6–16 mm. [4] The prominent hood is varies in shape from being rounded to conical or even more of a crescent shape and measures 10–34 mm from the base where it inserts into the supporting stem to the top of the hood. [4] [2]
The fruits are dry pod-like follicles, 10–20 mm long. [2]
Like other monkshoods (Aconitum species), this plant is poisonous to humans and livestock, although some species have been used to make drugs. [5]
Aconitum columbianum was first scientifically described by Thomas Nuttall in 1838 in A flora of North America by Torrey and Gray. [6] It was described from specimens collected from "springy places on the Oregon, below Wallawallah". [7]
Two subspecies or varieties recognized by Plants of the World Online (POWO) as of 2023: [6]
One other subspecies, Aconitum columbianum ssp. viviparum, is recognized by some botanists or botanical organizations such as Gilkey and Dennis in the Handbook of Northwestern Plants, [2] the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database (PLANTS), [8] and the Flora of North America (FNA). [9] Aconitum columbianum ssp. viviparum differs from the nominate subspecies, A. columbianum var. columbianum, in having bulbils where the leaf stems meet the main stem of the plant (in the leaf axils) and sometimes in place of flowers. [2] [9]
Aconitum columbianum grows throughout the western United States, from the west coast through the Rocky Mountains. In addition, it is also found in parts of British Columbia and South Dakota. It is also reported to grow in Iowa, [10] Wisconsin, New York, and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua. [6]
In 2016, NatureServe evaluated Aconitum columbianum as globally secure (G5). In addition it is evaluated by them as vulnerable at the state level (S3) in Wyoming. [11]
Western monkshood is occasionally grown in gardens for its dramatic dark purple-blue blossoms. It requires a moist and rich soil as well as shade in all but the gentlest of climates. [3]
Caltha is a genus of rhizomatous perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, to which ten species have been assigned. They occur in moist environments in temperate and cold regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Their leaves are generally heart-shaped or kidney-shaped, or are characteristically diplophyllous. Flowers are star shaped and mostly yellow to white. True petals and nectaries are missing but the five or more sepals are distinctly colored. As usual in the buttercup family there is a circle of stamens around free carpels.
Aquilegia coerulea, the Colorado columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine, or blue columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to the Rocky Mountains and some of the surrounding states of the western United States. It is the state flower of Colorado. The Latin specific name coerulea means "sky blue".
Anemonoides quinquefolia, a flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, is native to North America. It is commonly called wood anemone or windflower, not to be confused with Anemonoides nemorosa, a closely related European species also known by these common names. The specific epithet quinquefolia means "five-leaved", which is a misnomer since each leaf has just three leaflets. A plant typically has a single, small white flower with 5 sepals.
Actaea rubra, the red baneberry or chinaberry, is a poisonous herbaceous flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to North America.
A bulbil is a small, young plant that is reproduced vegetatively from axillary buds on the parent plant's stem or in place of a flower on an inflorescence. These young plants are clones of the parent plant that produced them—they have identical genetic material. The formation of bulbils is a form of asexual reproduction, as they can eventually go on to form new stand-alone plants.
Dudleya abramsiisubsp. setchellii, known by common name as the Santa Clara Valley dudleya or Santa Clara Valley liveforever, is a member of the Dudleya genus of succulent perennials, members of the family Crassulaceae. The Santa Clara Valley dudleya, endemic to the Santa Clara Valley region in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, was listed on 3 February 1995, as an endangered species. It is considered to be a subspecies of Dudleya abramsii, but its taxonomic status is still unclear. Its closest relative is Dudleya cymosa subsp. paniculata, which is a morphologically similar sister taxon.
Geum triflorum, commonly known as prairie smoke, old man's whiskers, or three-flowered avens, is a spring-blooming perennial herbaceous plant of the Rosaceae family. It is a hemiboreal continental climate species that is widespread in colder and drier environments of western North America, although it does occur in isolated populations as far east as New York and Ontario. It is particularly known for the long feathery plumes on the seed heads that have inspired many of the regional common names and aid in wind dispersal of its seeds.
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus is an American species of shrub in the family Asteraceae known by the common names yellow rabbitbrush and green rabbitbrush.
Symphyotrichum pilosum is a perennial, herbaceous, flowering plant in the Asteraceae family native to central and eastern North America. It is commonly called hairy white oldfield aster, frost aster, white heath aster, heath aster, hairy aster, common old field aster, old field aster, awl aster, nailrod, and steelweed. There are two varieties: Symphyotrichumpilosum var.pilosum, known by the common names previously listed, and Symphyotrichumpilosum var.pringlei, known as Pringle's aster. Both varieties are conservationally secure globally and in most provinces and states where they are native.
Silene scouleri is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names simple campion and Scouler's catchfly.
Pulsatilla nuttalliana, known as American pasqueflower, prairie pasqueflower, prairie crocus, or simply pasqueflower, is a flowering plant native to much of North America, from the western side of Lake Michigan, to northern Canada in the Northwest Territories, south to New Mexico in the southwestern United States. Pasqueflower is the provincial flower of Manitoba and the state flower of South Dakota.
Urtica gracilis, commonly known as the slender nettle, tall nettle, or American stinging nettle, is a perennial plant without woody stems that is well known for the unpleasant stinging hairs on its leaves and stems. It is native to much of the North America from Guatemala northwards and temperate areas of South America. It is easily confused with the visually very similar Eurasian species Urtica dioica and is still listed in some resources as a subspecies of this plant. However, genetic analysis and experiments show that they are genetically distinct.
Arnica lonchophylla is a species of flowering plant in family Asteraceae. The common names for this species includes longleaf arnica, northern arnica, and spear-leaved arnica. It has daisy-like yellow flowers that are 2.5 to 5 cm across with a yellow center disks.
Aconitum uncinatum, commonly known as wild monkshood or southern blue monkshood, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It grows in moist to wet habitats along streams and in woods and clearings. It grows in the eastern United States in the Appalachian Mountains, on the Piedmont, and on the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Penstemon secundiflorus, commonly known as sidebells penstemon, or orchid beardtoungue is a species of Penstemon that grows in dry forests, high plains, and scrub lands from Wyoming to Mexico. It is a herbaceous perennial plant that typically grows to a height of 20 to 50 cm and has narrow, lance-shaped leaves that are grayish-green in color. The flowers of the sidebells penstemon are tubular in shape and are arranged in a one-sided spike, with the blooms all facing the same direction, and for this reason was named "secundiflorus", which means "one-sided flowers". The flowers are most often delicate shades of orchid or lavender. It is sometimes used in xeriscaping, rock gardens, and wildflower meadows, and is well-suited to dry, sunny locations with well-draining soil.
Penstemon ambiguus, commonly known as the bush penstemon, pink plains penstemon, or gilia beardtongue is a species of Penstemon that grows in the shortgrass prairies and deserts of the western United States and northern Mexico. This bush-like penstemon grows in sandy, loose, and creosote soils and is particularly known for the spectacular flowering show it produces, sometime seasons turning whole hillsides bright pink–white.
Penstemon caespitosus, commonly known as mat penstemon, is a summer blooming perennial flower in the large Penstemon genus. It is a widespread plant from near timberline to the foothills in the Southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau in North America. It is noted for its ground hugging growth habit and as a plant used in xeriscape and rock gardening.
Delphinium geyeri is a species of plant in the Ranunculaceae family that is often called by the common names plains larkspur and foothills larkspur. It is infamous for causing the deaths of cattle grazing in the spring because it is especially poisonous before it flowers and so it is also called poisonweed by ranchers. It is a medium to tall plant that has very striking blue flowers and is occasionally grown in native plant gardens for this reason. It grows mainly in Wyoming with large population in northern Colorado, northeastern Utah, and parts of Nebraska.
Lupinus caudatus is a widespread species of wildflower in genus Lupinus from western North America known by the common names tailcup lupin and spurred lupin. It is distinctive for the short spur on its purple-blue flowers, for which it is named. Because of its wide distribution and toxicity it commonly causes poisonings of susceptible livestock such as horses, cattle, and sheep, though it is eaten without harm by wild herbivores like deer and elk. It is generally found from the Coastal Ranges and Sierra Nevada Mountains in the west to the Rocky Mountains in the east.
Hypericum scouleri, known by the common name Scouler's St. John's wort in English, is a flowering species of plant from western North America. It grows in areas around streams and wetlands from Canada to the highlands of Mexico. It is sometimes mistaken for the invasive Perforate St John's wort from Eurasia.