Three Coville's Columbine against Rock

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Inyo National Forest, Mono County
late afternoon Saturday August 10, 1991, slide 91A_28-13
Olympus OM-4T, 50mm Zuiko macro, Benbo Trekker
Drum scanned 35mm Kodachrome 64 to 100mb RGB file
Adobe Photoshop 6.0 processed for accurate image fidelity
Lightjet5000 printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper
signature bottom left

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Coville's Columbine, aquilegia pubescens, aka alpine columbine, is found in the High Sierra above 9,000 feet most often in harsh exposed windy sites of talus or ledges in monolithic rock. Hence it is a prime component of alpine rock gardens often together with Sierra primrose. A close relative crimson columbine, aquilegia formosa, is widespread across western North America including lower elevations of the Sierra that sometimes produces a beautiful pink hybrid where they overlap. Like some of our incredible orchid species, the columbines have a form that is so intricate that it is difficult to believe they evolved so through mere natural selection alone. Plants are 6 to 20 inches high with multiple branching finely hairy reddish green stems. The upper lobed leaves attach via petioles to stems aka cauline and are repeatedly compounded into three parts aka ternate.

The large cream to light pink five petal flowers are 1.5 to 2 inches long including long pink narrowing spurs which accumulate nectar at the yellow end bulbs. Tiny hairs also cover the petals. These bright flowers reflect ultraviolet light attracting a primary pollinator, the large sphinx moth, which has a long thin proboscis capable of reaching down to the end of the long spurs. Another pollinator that can sip the nectar is of course Miss hummingbird with her very long narrow tongue. Numerous male stamens consist of light green filaments ending in yellow anthers shaped like flattened lemon drop discs.

Within the stamens at center, are a few female pollen-catching stigmas with styles tubes leading down to the single superior ovary.

During a breezy afternoon with much high thin clouds, I explored the northern slopes of Mount Dana for Coville's Columbine. The area is one of the few places in the Sierra Nevada at short distances from paved roads where one can see these spectacular wildflowers. After rambling up about a number of strenuous higher slopes, I came upon this plant beside a large black and gray mottled ancient metamorphic boulder near the base of the talus. After much work to get the most aesthetic frame, I spent a considerable time waiting for both the clouds to thin enough and breezes to calm enough in order to take this image.

Besides the three gorgeous flowers, at top center is one yet to open bud. Just right of the bud is a petal less already pollinated flower with curling filaments in various positions of immanent departure. Note below where a fallen petal and filament have been caught between the angle of each flower's pedicel. Pedicels are small flower stalks branching from a stem. Just above that angle on the bud's pedicel is a small leaf like bract. Now Miss Hummingbird, how's the lemonade?

Crop at 100% print size:

   David Senesac
   email: sales@davidsenesac.com

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