PLANTS GROWING IN RICH OR ROCKY SOIL. 153 



COLUriBINE. 



Aquilegia Canadensis. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Croiv/oot, Red and yellow. Scentless. Central. April, May. 



Flowers : terminal ; solitary ; nodding from thread-like flower-stalks. Ca- 

 lyx : of live, red, ovate sepals. Corolla : of five, united, tubular, spuired petals ; 

 red on the outside and within yellow. Stamens: numerous; projecting. Pis- 

 tils : tive ; the styles very slender. Leaves : the lower ones on i)etioles and di- 

 vided twice, or thrice into lobed leaflets ; the upper ones nearly sessile, entire 

 or lobed. Stem : twelve to eighteen inches high ; branching ; glaucous. 



" Is it not afraid ? " asked a little child who saw the colum- 

 bine as it was bent and swayed by the wind over a rocky cliff, 

 and appeared to cling so lightly to the crumbled soil. " No," 

 was the answer, " the columbine has a fearless heart and a 

 spirited courage : it is never afraid." 



Recently we have been hearing considerable about its pa- 

 triotism ; and it has been shown to us as " the peace that 

 makes for power, and the power that makes for peace." This 

 significance is found in the resemblance of various parts of the 

 flower to an eagle and a dove. The generic name aquilegia, or 

 in Latin aquila, an eagle, is from the curved spurs that in cer- 

 tain forms of the flower suggest the bird's five talons. Colum- 

 bine, or columba, was chosen for it because in another position 

 can be seen a ring of doves, or two turtle doves, according to 

 one's clearness of vision. In our childhood we invariably see 

 the latter. 



" O columbine, open your folded wrapper, 

 Where two twin turtle doves dwell I " 



Looking at the front view of the flower we can picture a five- 

 layed star. A single nectarie imitates a liberty cap ; and in 

 the long spurred forms we have the horn of plenty. Some one 

 of its species can be found throughout the country ; and it 

 blooms in all of our national colours, red, white and blue. The 

 plant is indigenous to our soil and one that is in no sense a 

 weed. To be used for decorative designs it is also peculiarly 

 well adapted. 



