Aquilegia Express: Yellow Columbines
Aquilegia chrysantha, golden columbine
The golden columbine occurs in southwest Utah through Arizona with a small population in adjacent New Mexico and a disjunct population in Colorado.
Notice the differences in the coloration of the golden columbine with this and the following images. This flower is colored a pale greenish yellow. Photo by Steve Olson.
Range map of Aquilegia chrysantha. Courtesy of Flora of North America.
Aquilegia chrysantha ranges in height from 20 to 50 cm. The foliage is green not glaucous and the leaves are glabrous above and glabrous to slightly pubescent below. The flowers erect and a golden yellow. The sepals are yellow, 20 to 35 mm long and perpendicular. The blades are pale yellow, 13 to 23 mm long and the spurs are yellow, and spreading, 30 to 70 mm long. The stamens extend beyond the blades.
This flower has white blades with yellow spurs and white sepals. Photo by Steve Olson.
These flowers are colored lemon yellow. Photo by G.A. Cooper, Smithsonian Institution.
Aquilegia chrysantha is found growing in damp or moist areas generally in canyons.
A large population of Aquilegia chrysantha occurring in a large seep on massive rock. Photo by G.A. Cooper, Smithsonian Institution.
Aquilegia chrysantha occurring on a rock cliff face where a seep comes out of the rock. Photo by Steve Olson.