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RANUNCULACEAE

BUTTERCUP FAMILY

Dieter H. Wilken, except as specified

Annual, perennial herb, sometimes aquatic
Leaves generally basal and cauline, generally alternate, simple or compound; petioles at base generally flat, sometimes sheathing or stipule-like
Inflorescence: cyme, raceme, panicle, or flowers solitary
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals generally 5, free, early deciduous or withering in fruit, generally green; petals 0–many, free; stamens generally 10–many; pistils 1–many, ovary superior, chamber 1, style 1, generally ± persistent in fruit as beak, ovules 1–many
Fruit: achene, follicle, berry, or utricle-like, 1–many-seeded
Genera in family: ± 60 genera, 1700 species: worldwide, especially n temp, tropical mtns; many ornamental (Adonis, Aquilegia, Clematis, Consolida, Delphinium, Erianthis, Helleborus ), some highly TOXIC (Aconitum, Actaea, Delphinium, Ranunculus )
Reference: [Duncan & Keener 1991 Phytologia 70:24–27]

AQUILEGIA

COLUMBINE

Perennial from thick, simple to branched caudex
Stems 1–few, ascending to erect, branched to not, scapose to not, glabrous to glandular-hairy
Leaves: 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, upper surface green to pale green, lower surface pale green to glaucous
Inflorescence: few-flowered raceme or flower solitary, terminal; axis and pedicels glabrous to glandular; flowers often pendent
Flower radial; sepals 5, petal-like, spreading to slightly reflexed; petals 5, generally with spur projecting between sepals; pistils generally 5
Fruit: follicles, glabrous to glandular
Seeds smooth, shiny, brown to black
Species in genus: ± 70 species: temp North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Derivation uncertain, perhaps Latin: eagle, from spurs, or water-drawer, from habitats)
Reference: [Munz 1946 Gentes Herb 7:1–150]
Many species and hybrids cultivated as ornamental; natural hybrids common.

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