Aquilegia incurvata explained

Aquilegia incurvata, or the Qinling columbine (秦岭耧斗菜), is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, endemic to the Qinling mountain range in China.

Description

Aquilegia incurvata grows to tall, with branched stems sparsely covered with downy hairs. The basal leaves are biternate. It produces 2–5 flowers measuring around in diameter, having purple sepals in length, and purple petals long with strongly inwardly-curving nectar spurs measuring a further .

Taxonomy

Etymology

The specific epithet incurvata means "curved inwards" in Latin, referring to the spurs of the flowers.

Distribution and habitat

The species is only found in the Qinling mountain range in southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, and northeastern Sichuan provinces of China, where it grows on grassy slopes and in grassy places by streams at altitudes of .

Ecology

Aquilegia incurvata flowers from May to June, and is pollinated by bumblebees.

Conservation

The species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List.