Aquilegia olympica is a perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Turkey, Iran, and the Caucasus.[2][3]
| Aquilegia olympica | |
|---|---|
| |
| Flower of Aquilegia olympica in the Caucasus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus: | Aquilegia |
| Species: | A. olympica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aquilegia olympica | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Description
editAquilegia olympica grows to 30–60 cm (12–24 in) tall. The basal leaves are biternate in form, smooth above and covered with fine or woolly hairs underneath. The leaflets have rounded teeth along their edges. The flowers have blue-violet sepals measuring 18–35 mm (0.71–1.38 in), and white petals ending in a short, somewhat hooked nectar spur.[4]
Taxonomy
editThe species is part of, and gives its name to, the Aquilegia olympica aggregate, together with Aquilegia champagnatii, Aquilegia dinarica, and Aquilegia ottonis. This aggregate is characterised by leafy and glandular stems, often branched inflorescences, medium or large nodding and often bicoloured flowers with hooked spurs.[4]
Distribution and habitat
editAquilegia olympica is native to northern Turkey, northern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the North Caucasus.[3] Unlike the other species in the Aquilegia olympica aggregate, which prefer rocky habitats, this species grows in damp meadows and spruce forests.[4]
Ecology
editAquilegia olympica flowers in late spring and early summer.[5] The larvae of the columbine sawfly Pristiphora rufipes have been recorded feeding on the plant.[6]
Conservation
editAs of November 2024[update], the species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List.[1]
Uses
editA decoction of Aquilegia olympica was traditionally used in eastern Turkey as a diuretic.[7]
Cultural significance
editThe early French printer Philippe Pigouchet used the flowers of Aquilegia olympica as a common motif in border illustrations in his Book of Hours of 1500.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Aquilegia - genus". IUCN Red List. 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "Aquilegia olympica Boiss". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Aquilegia olympica Boiss". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Guacchio, Emanuele Del (2009). "Aquilegia vulgaris var. speluncarum Lacaita (Ranunculaceae): an enigmatic columbine from the Campanian Apennines, S Italy". Willdenowia. 39 (1): 63–68. doi:10.3372/wi.39.39106.
- ^ "Aquilegia olympica". Missouri Botanical Garden. 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ Liston, A. D. (28 January 2011). "New hostplant records for European sawflies (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae)" (PDF). Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 146: 189–193.
- ^ Altundag, Ernaz; Ozturk, Munir (2011). "Ethnomedicinal studies on the plant resources of east Anatolia, Turkey". Procedia. 19: 756–777. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.05.195.
- ^ Li, Xiaolu (2024). "Chinese Artists and Colonial Image Production: A Study on the Ethnographic Images of the Boxer Codex". Chinese Studies Journal. 18: e1–e45.
External links
edit
Media related to Aquilegia olympica at Wikimedia Commons
