BRIEFER ARTICLES 
A NEW HYBRID COLUMBINE 
The year before last my wife crossed Aguilegia chrysantha Gray 
(a garden strain) with A. desertorum (Jones) Ckll. from Santa Fé Canyon, 
New Mexico. The hybrids have bloomed this year, and are found to 
present some interesting characters. In order to make these clear, it is 
first necessary to indicate the principal diagnostic features of A. deser- 
torum. 
Aquilegia desertorum (Jones) Ckll.—Wooron and STANDLEY, in their 
Flora of New Mexico, do not distinguish A. desertorum from A. elegantula 
Greene. Direct comparison of living plants has not yet been possible, 
but A. elegantula is properly a forest-loving species of higher altitudes, 
essentially a mesophytic plant. A. desertorum, as its name indicates, 
is xerophytic, living on rocky slopes in the transition zone, and is remark- 
able for its enormous root and long life. The early leaves have a strong 
red suffusion, and the plant comes into flower long before the other 
Rocky Mountain species, so that only a few belated blossoms can be 
obtained for crossing with A. chrysantha or A. caerulea. As I write 
(June 1), A. desertorum has still one or two flowers, while the first flower 
of A. chrysantha is opening. A. caerulea is in full flower, however, 
coming between the periods of A. desertorum and A. chrysantha. The 
following description is from a characteristic flower of A. desertorum. 
Sepals short, about 9 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, lanceolate, reddish 
or partly pale yellowish, with purplish tips; upright, and extending 
about 2mm. beyond ends of petals. Petals 25 mm. long (to end of 
spur), spurs only moderately divergent; about apical 5 mm. of petals 
light yellow, the rest bright scarlet; this scarlet appearance is wholly 
due to an anthocyan pigment, which looks pink by transmitted light, and 
readily passes into solution in weak nitric acid; with liquor potassae it 
first turns lilac, and then gives the usual green reaction; the lilac can 
be observed under the microscope fringing the edge of the alkaline fluid. 
Stamens exserted 7 mm. beyond ends of petals; anthers yellow. Pistils 
exserted 4mm. beyond stamens. 
Aquilegia desertorum X chrysantha, new hybrid.—The carly leaves 
showed more or less distinct reddish or purple color, which is wholly 
413] [Botanical Gazette, vol. 62 
