AQUILEGIA SKINNEM. 
(Mr. Skinnei's Columbine.) 
Class. Order. 
POLVANDRIA. PENTAGYNIA. 
Aaturul Order. 
RANUNCULAC^. 
Generic Character. — Sepals five, deciduous, co- 
loured, and petal-like. Petals five, on the upper side 
of the flower, spreadingly two-lipped ; outer lip large, 
plane; inner one small ; prolonged at the back into an 
entire hollow spur. Capsules erect. 
Specific Character.— Plant an herbaceous perennial. 
Leaves chiefly radical, glaucous, on long petioles, bi- 
ternate ; leaflets cordate, deeply three-lobed ; lobes 
variously cut, with blunt and rounded segments. 
Floiver-stem panicled and bracteate. Brads linear, 
awl-shaped, leafy. Pedicles curved, making the flowers 
droop. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, keeled, 
green. Petals with a yellowish green and rounded limb, 
prolonged below into a very long, nearly straight, red 
spur, which is slightly clubbed at the extremity. Sta- 
mens numerous, much protruded. Gerinen with broad, 
membranous, curled wings. Stales three. 
In the Botanical Magazine, from whence we have gleaned the substance of the 
preceding description, it is stated that this fine species was sent to Wobiirn Abbey 
by G. U. Skinner, Esq., from Guatemala; and it flowered in the gardens at 
Woburn for the first time. Its most prominent characteristics are the great length 
of the spurs in the flowers, the protrusion of the stamens, and the brilliant red 
colour of the lower part of the flower-spurs. It ranks with the admirable A. 
glandulosa among the best members of the genus. 
Having, in some places, been very improperly treated by being placed in a 
stove or warm greenhouse, and forced too early into flower, its appearance in a 
few of the London collections this year has been far from favourable or natural. 
The flowers have been much impoverished in regard to size, and altogether 
deprived of that splendid colour which constitutes their leading attraction. Hence 
it has been deemed inferior even to A. canadensis. It should be remembered, 
however, that a forced specimen of a hardy plant afibrds no criterion of its merit ; 
and that the proper season at which this species should blossom is the months of 
August and September, while its proper position is the open ground. 
Our drawing portrays a specimen which flowered vigorously with Mr. Glen- 
dinning, nurseryman, of Turnham Green, towards the end of last July. Being 
very correctly coloured, a good notion may be gained from it of the plant's beauty. 
