
PLANTS GROWING IN RICH OR ROCKY SOIL. 153 
COLUIIBINE. 
Aguilégia Canadensis. 
FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 
Crowfoot. Red and yellow. Scentless. General. April, May. 
Flowers : terminal ; solitary ; nodding from thread-like flower-stalks. Ca- 
lyx : of five, red, ovate sepals. Corolla : of fiv e, united, tubular, spurred petals ; 
red on the outside and within yellow. Stamens: numerous; projecting. P7s- 
tls: five ; the styles very slender. Leaves: the lower ones on petioles 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. 
“Ts 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 !” 
Looking at the front view of the flower we can picture a five- 
rayed 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. 
