Aquilegia hinckleyana

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Aquilegia hinckleyana
Aquilegia hinckleyana.jpg
Holotype of Aquilegia hinckleyana
Status TNC T1.svg
Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Aquilegia
Species:
A. hinckleyana
Binomial name
Aquilegia hinckleyana
Synonyms [2]

Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana(Munz) Lott 1985

Contents

Aquilegia hinckleyana, or Hinckley's golden columbine, is a partially recognized species of flowering plant of the genus Aquilegia (columbines) in the family Ranunculaceae endemic to Capote Falls in northwestern Presidio County, Texas. The plant is found within a small region of the county and only grows in moister areas of its generally dry range. Considered a smaller version of Aquilegia chrysantha , A. hinckleyana has a height of around 60 centimetres (24 in) and possesses yellow flowers. It has seen modern cultivation, particularly in Texas. The species is named for L. C. Hinckley, who first collected the species in 1943.

In 1985, it was proposed that the species should be reevaluated as a variety of A. chrysantha. The name A. chrysantha var. hinckley has been adopted by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and some commercial distributors. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Flora of North America agree with Philip A. Munz's original 1946 classification of the plant as a separate species.

Description

An Aquilegia hinkleyana (labeled under its alternative scientific name Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana) plant in winter. Its seed pods have been removed. Aquilegia hinckleyana in winter.jpg
An Aquilegia hinkleyana (labeled under its alternative scientific name Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana) plant in winter. Its seed pods have been removed.

Aquilegia hinckleyana is, like other members of the Aquilegia , a short-lived perennial. [3] The species has a height of around 60 centimetres (24 in), [4] : 94  with stems ranging between 50 centimetres (20 in) and 70 centimetres (28 in) tall. The stems have a width of between 4 millimetres (0.16 in) and 7 millimetres (0.28 in) at the base. These stems are glabrous and glaucous below the base. [5]

The plant has yellow flowers. [4] : 94  The flowers stand suberect with spreading sepals that are roughly 25 millimetres (0.98 in) long and 17 millimetres (0.67 in) wide. It has slender nectar spurs that are about 4 centimetres (1.6 in) and 5 millimetres (0.20 in) wide. [5] The plant propagates through seeds dropping to replace mother plants. [3]

Ecology

Aquilegia hinckleyana is sphingophilous (pollinated by moths). A process of co-adaptation led to increased interspecific divergence between western North American Aquilegia pollinated by hummingbirds and those pollinated by hawkmoths. Among the adaptations to encourage hawkmoth pollination are white or pale flowers and nocturnal nectar production. In this respect, A. hinckleyana is part of the Aquilegia coerulea species complex. [6] A. hinckleyana can also host the larva of the columbine duskywing, Erynnis lucilius . [3]

Taxonomy

The holotype for A. hinckleyana was collected by Marfa, Texas, resident L. C. Hinckley on March 28, 1943, from Capote Falls and first described with its binomial nomenclature by botanist Philip A. Munz in 1946. [5] The holotype, L. C. Hinckley 2672, is in the Harvard University Herbaria, with a paratype inventoried at Cornell University's Bailey Hortorium. [7] [5] The plant is recognized as a species under Munz's classification by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Flora of North America . [2] [8]

In 1985, Emily J. Lott proposed reevaluating A. hinckleyana and Aquilegia chaplinei as a varieties of A chrysantha, with A. hinckleyana renamed as ''A. chyrsantha var. hinckleyana. [9] Lott's reclassification of both plants has been adopted by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin. [3] Some commercial distributors have also referred to the plant using this classification. [4] : 94 

Etymology

The word columbine derives from the Latin word columbinus , meaning "dove", a reference to the flowers' appearance of a group of doves. The genus name Aquilegia may come from the Latin word for "eagle", aquila , in reference to the pedals' resemblance to eagle talons. [3] Aquilegia may also derive from aquam legere, which is Latin for "to collect water", or aquilegium , a Latin word for a container of water. [10] Munz named the species for Hinckley, saying that it was "a pleasure to dedicate it to its discoverer". [5]

Distribution

Aquilegia hinckleyana is endemic to a small area area around Capote Falls in the Sierra Vieja mountains of northwestern Presidio County, Texas, the site of its type locality. [3] [4] : 94  The falls is privately held as part of the Brite Ranch. [4] : 94  Hinckley reported that the plant formed "a thick bed on the always moist bank under the overhanging cliff at the fall". [5]

Conservation

The plant's NatureServe conservation status was last evaluated in 1997, when it was rated at T1 to indicate it as a critically imperiled variety of A. chrysantha. The Nature Conservancy identified pollution, overgrazing, and diversion of water as the primary threats to the plant and recommended the protection of 100 acres around the plant's range to encompass portions upstream. [1]

Use

Aquilegia hinckleyana is poisonous towards humans and animals. [11] In the region near the present-day Four Corners, the Paiute peoples historically used the plant's seeds and roots. Seeds were used to perfume and were kept on clothing in sachets to their clothing and chewed so that they could be applied on clothing and skin. The roots were processed to treat coughs and rheumatism. [12]

Cultivation

Despite its rarity in the wild, Aquilegia hinckleyana is a popular spring-blooming flower in Texas. [3] [4] : 94  Botanist Robert Nold noted its prevalence in nurseries, particularly in Texas, in 2003. [4] : 94  The plant remains commercially available. [3] Like other Aquilegia species, A. hinckleyana's ability to tolerate shade is valued in cultivation. It also shares its genus's inclination towards hybridization, meaning columbines sold as "yellow columbine" or "golden columbine" are often derived from multiple species. [3]

The 'Texas Gold' cultivar has golden-yellow flowers that are appreciated for their long spurs. [11] The plant favors well-drained soils that are high levels of organic matter. The cultivar can be grown in clay provided that it is in an elevated bed that prevents the roots from being in pooled water. When grown next to a deciduous tree, the plant is sufficiently shaded in the summer while exposed to enough sunlight during the winter. Propagation of 'Texas Gold' can be performed by division. The species is resistant to deer and rabbits while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. [13] [11] Removing flowers that have completed their bloom can encourage re-flowering but retaining flowers will enable self-seeding. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Aquilegia</i> Genus of perennial plants (columbine)

Aquilegia is a genus of about 130 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher elevations throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.

<i>Aquilegia coerulea</i> North American species of columbine

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".

<i>Aquilegia pubescens</i> Californian endemic species of columbine

Aquilegia pubescens is a perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, endemic to the Sierra Nevada in California. It is usually known by the common name Sierra columbine, and less frequently as the alpine columbine or Coville's columbine.

<i>Aquilegia chrysantha</i> North American species of columbine

Aquilegia chrysantha, the golden columbine, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The plant, with a height of between 40 centimetres (16 in) and 120 centimetres (47 in), has yellow flowers. A. chrysantha. as with other members of the Aquilegia coerulea species complex, is evolved for pollination by hawkmoth. It favors moist environments in its mountainous range.

<i>Aquilegia longissima</i> North American species of columbine

Aquilegia longissima, the long-spur columbine or long-spurred columbine, is a rare perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae that is native to northern Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.

Paraquilegia uniflora is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. Its range spans Tajikistan to the mountainous border between Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. It is a cushion plant with flowers that are blue or creamy white.

<i>Aquilegia alpina</i> Alpine European species of columbine

Aquilegia alpina, often called the alpine columbine or breath of God, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to the western and central Alps. Though rare in its Swiss, Austrian, and Italian range, it is commonly found in the French Maritime Alps. A. alpina is appreciated for its light blue to blue-purple flowers.

<i>Semiaquilegia adoxoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Semiaquilegia adoxoides is a species of perennial flowering plant in the Ranunculaceae. Native to Japan, Korea, and China, the plant grows to about 40 cm (16 in) tall and blooms with pale pink flowers. Now often considered the sole member of the genus Semiaquilegia, it bears similarities to members of the genus Aquilegia. S. adoxoides is native to China, Korea, and Japan and has an introduced population on Taiwan.

Capote Falls is a waterfall on Capote Creek in the Sierra Vieja mountains in northwestern Presidio County, Texas, United States. At up to 175 feet (53 m) tall, it is the highest waterfall in Texas. Serving as a moist oasis in an otherwise barren area, the site is the only location where the columbine species Aquilegia hinckleyana is found in the wild. The waterfall has seen significant damage by erosion since 1964. Located on the privately owned Brite Ranch, access is restricted to those with permission from the property owners.

<i>Aquilegia parviflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia parviflora is a species of flowering plant of the Aquilegia (columbine) genus in the family Ranunculaceae native to the Asian regions of Siberia, northern Mongolia, northern China, and Sakhalin.

<i>Aquilegia moorcroftiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia moorcroftiana is a species of flowering plant in the genus Aquilegia (columbines) in the family Ranunculaceae. It is native to central Asia, with a range spanning Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Nepal, and Tibet. A. moorcroftiana grows at the highest elevation of any species of columbine, with examples frequently found at over 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) of elevation.

<i>Aquilegia confusa</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia confusa is a partially accepted species of flowering plant of the genus Aquilegia (columbines) in the family Ranunculaceae that is endemic to the eastern and southern European Alps in Switzerland and Italy. The entirety of the plant, particularly its seeds, are toxic to humans.

<i>Aquilegia sibirica</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia sibirica, the Siberian columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to the north-central Asian regions of Siberia, northern Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang. A hardy perennial plant, it prefers temperate environments. The Siberian columbine can be between 1 foot (0.30 m) and 2 feet (0.61 m) tall with flowers that are lilac-blue and white in color.

<i>Aquilegia micrantha</i> Species of flowering plants

Aquilegia micrantha, the Mancos columbine or Bluff City columbine, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. It is native to Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. The species grows to between 30 cm (12 in) and 60 cm (24 in) tall and produces flowers that can be white, cream, blue, or pink.

<i>Aquilegia amurensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia amurensis is a partially accepted species of flowering plant in the genus Aquilegia (columbines) in the family Ranunculaceae that is native to northeast Asia. Its natural range is in the northern Greater Khingan mountain range and Amur River of China, as well as Siberian Russia, Mongolia, and possibly North Korea. Flowers of this plant have petal blades that are whitish or white-tipped, with blue-violet nectar spurs and sepals. The plant is rarely cultivated.

<i>Aquilegia chaplinei</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia chaplinei, also known as Chaplin's columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to the arid Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico in the West South Central United States. A perennial plant with an average height of 40 centimeters (16 in), A. chaplinei is characterized as a dwarf version of its close relative Aquilegia chrysantha and is sometimes considered a variant of this species under the name Aquilegia chrysantha var. chaplinei.

<i>Aquilegia microcentra</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia microcentra is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to Uruzgan Province in central and southeastern Afghanistan. The plant is understood as related to Aquilegia moorcroftiana, which has a range spanning into Afghanistan. A. microcentra has small, white flowers. The species was first described by the Flora Iranica in 1992 from specimens collected by Karl Heinz Rechinger in 1967.

<i>Aquilegia maimanica</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia maimanica is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to the area of the former Meymaneh Province in northwestern Afghanistan. The plant is understood as related to Aquilegia moorcroftiana, which has a range spanning into Afghanistan. A. maimanica has pale-blue and white flowers. The species was first described by the Flora Iranica in 1992 from specimens collected by Karl Heinz Rechinger in 1959.

<i>Aquilegia gracillima</i> Species of flowering plant

Aquilegia gracillima is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to the area near Ghazni in eastern Afghanistan. The plant is understood as related to Aquilegia moorcroftiana, which has a range spanning into Afghanistan.

<i>Paraquilegia microphylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Paraquilegia microphylla is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. It is native across a range spanning Siberia, Central Asia into the Himalayas, and east to Japan. The species has flowers that vary in color across its range, with P. microphylla in the western Himalayas possessing small white flowers while those in the eastern Himalayas produce larger lilac flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 "Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana". explorer.natureserve.org. The Nature Conservancy . Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Aquilegia hinckleyana Munz". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana". wildflower.org. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center . Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nold, Robert (2003). Columbines: Aquilegia, Paraquilegia, and Semiaquilegia . Portland, OR: Timber Press. ISBN   0881925888 – via Internet Archive.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Munz, Philip A. (March 25, 1946). Aquilegia: The Cultivated and Wild Columbines. Gentes Herbarum. Vol. VII. Ithaca, NY: The Bailey Hortorium of the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell University. pp. 141–143.
  6. ↑ Grant, Verne (15 August 1993). "Origins of Floral Isolation Between Ornithophilous and Sphingophilous Plant Species". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 90 (16): 7729–7733. JSTOR   2362794.
  7. ↑ "Occurrence 28 March 1943". gbif.org. Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Aquilegia hinckleyana Munz". Flora of North America . Vol. 3.
  9. ↑ Lott, Emily J. (1985). "New combinations in Chihuahuan Desert Aquilegia (Ranunculaceae)". Phytologia . 58: 488.
  10. ↑ "Aquilegia confusa Rota". Portale alla flora del Monte Grappa (in Italian). University of Trieste. Archived from the original on December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Aquilegia chrysantha hinckleyana 'Texas Gold'". Dallas County Master Gardener Association. March 1, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  12. ↑ Nieland, Lashara J.; Finley, Willa F. (2009). Lone Star Wildflowers: A Guide to Texas Flowering Plants. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University Press. p. 101. ISBN   9780896726444.
  13. ↑ "'Texas Gold' Columbine" (PDF). Texas Master Gardener. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
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