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RANUNCULACEAE BUTTERCUP FAMILY

Margriet Wetherwax & Dieter H. Wilken, family description, key to genera

Annual, perennial herb, woody vine [ shrub], occasionally aquatic.
Leaf: generally basal and cauline, alternate or opposite, simple or compound; petioles at base generally flat, occasionally sheathing or stipule-like.
Inflorescence: cyme, raceme, panicle, or flowers 1.
Flower: generally bisexual, generally radial; sepals 3–6(20), free, early- deciduous or withering in fruit, generally green; petals 0–many, generally free; stamens generally 5–many, staminodes generally 0; pistils 1–many, ovary superior, chamber 1, style 0–1, generally ± persistent as beak, ovules 1–many.
Fruit: achene, follicle, berry, ± utricle in Trautvetteria, in aggregate or not, 1–many-seeded.
± 60 genera, 1700 species: worldwide, especially n temperate, tropical mountains; many ornamental (Adonis, Aquilegia, Clematis, Consolida, Delphinium, Helleborus, Nigella). some highly TOXIC (Aconitum, Actaea, Delphinium, Ranunculus). [Whittemore & Parfitt 1997 FNANM 3:85–271] Taxa of Isopyrum in TJM (1993) moved to Enemion; Kumlienia moved to Ranunculus. —Scientific Editors: Douglas H. Goldman, Bruce G. Baldwin.

Key to Ranunculaceae

AQUILEGIA COLUMBINE

Justen Whittall, Scott A. Hodges & Dieter H. Wilken

Perennial; caudex thick, branched to not.
Stem: 1–few, ascending to erect, branched to not, scapose to not, glabrous to glandular-hairy.
Leaf: basal 1–3- ternate, petiole generally long; cauline 0–few, generally much reduced, deeply 3-lobed to 1–2- ternate, petiole short to ± 0; segments generally wedge-shaped to obovate, abaxially pale green to glaucous, adaxially green to gray, glabrous to glandular.
Inflorescence: few-flowered raceme or flower 1, terminal; axis, pedicels glabrous to glandular; flower buds generally pendent.
Flower: sepals 5, petal-like, spreading [to ± reflexed]; petals 5, spurs between sepals, mouths < to > 90° to exposed filaments; pistils generally 5.
Fruit: follicle, glabrous to glandular.
Seed: smooth, shiny, brown to black.
± 70 species: temperate North America, Eurasia. Many species, hybrids cultivated as ornamental; natural hybrids common; recent adaptive radiation with specialized pollinations syndromes (bee, hummingbird, hawkmoth).
Unabridged etymology: (Perhaps Latin: eagle, from spurs, or water-drawer, from habitats)
Unabridged references: [Munz 1946 Gentes Herb 7:1–150]

Key to Aquilegia

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Next taxon: Aquilegia eximia

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occursRed area (if present) is the part of the bioregion lying between the upper and lower elevation limits of the taxon;
markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
map of distribution 1

Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records.
Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria.
Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.
Map made in collaboration with Scott Loarie. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria.
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