Aquilegia kubanica
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| Aquilegia kubanica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus: | Aquilegia |
| Species: | A. kubanica |
| Binomial name | |
| Aquilegia kubanica I.M.Vassiljeva | |
Aquilegia kubanica is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. It is narrow-locally endemic to the northwestern Caucasus in Russia.[1][2] The plant grows to between 25 cm (9.8 in) and 45 cm (18 in) tall. Its flowers are bicolor, with tepals that are blue-violet.
A. kubanica has an affinity towards Aquilegia olympica, with which it shares many similarities. The species was first described in 1991 by Mikhailovna Vassiljeva from two specimens, with its type specimen collected in 1968 near the river Kuban in the Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast (now part of Russia) by E. Gogina.[2]
Aquilegia kubanica is a perennial member of the genus Aquilegia (columbines), which includes over 100 accepted species.[1][2] The rootstock of A. kubanica plants can be either simple or branched.[3]: 509 The species's rhizome is long and thick. Stems extending between 25 cm (9.8 in) and 45 cm (18 in) tall and possess glandular hairs above ground.[2] There are typically one or two flowering stems.[3]: 509 Some leaves are in a basal arrangement, protruding from the base of the stem. These leaves are numerous and biternate with petioles thinly covered with long hairs. Other leaves are on the middle of the stem, extending from short petioles. The leaflets are 3 cm (1.2 in) to 4 cm (1.6 in) long and wide.[2]
In all species of Aquilegia, flowers are solitary on their branches.[4] On each A. kubanica inflorescence, there are two to five flowers.[3]: 509 They extend from brownish pubescent peduncles. The flowers on A. kubanica are relatively small and bicolor with sepals that are blue-violet. The sepals, which are 14 mm (0.55 in) and 18 mm (0.71 in) long and 8 mm (0.31 in) to 10 mm (0.39 in) wide, are ovate and come to a pointed tip.[3]: 509 [2] The petals are in the medium size range within the genus at 22 mm (0.87 in) to 40 mm (1.6 in) long. The rectangular petals of each flower form a homogenous cylindrical corolla.[3]: 509 Nectary laminae are whitish-yellow. The nectar spurs range between 14 mm (0.55 in) and 18 mm (0.71 in) long. They are narrow and conical, protruding nearly straight before hooking near their slightly swelled terminus.[2]
The plant fruits with five follicles that are not fused and diverge from a shared base. The follicles are relatively small, extending between 10 mm (0.39 in) and 15 mm (0.59 in) long. Immature seeds were observed to be reddish-brown and ribbed. The seeds are between 1.5 mm (0.059 in) and 2 mm (0.079 in) long.[2]
A. kubanica possesses an affinity towards Aquilegia olympica, including in appearance. Differences include the size of the flowers – A. kubanica possessing the smaller of the two – and the color the anthers – A. kubanica's are yellow, while A. olympica's are brown. In A. kubanica, the seeds are shiny; those of A. olympica are matte.[2]
