Flora of New Zealand Series

columbine

Stems 1-several, leafy, 30-80 cm tall, pilose at least above. Lvs dull dark green and glabrous above, pale, glaucous, and sparsely pilose beneath. Basal lvs petiolate, 2-ternate; segments shortly stalked, lobed, crenate. Stem lvs shortly petiolate, becoming 3-foliolate; segments becoming sessile. Fls in lax leafy cymes, nodding, 2.5-3.5-(5) cm diam. Sepals ovate, acute, violet, blue, red or pink, (1.5)-2-3 cm long. Petals same colour as sepals but paler; limb < sepals, truncate; spur > limb, hooked at tip. Staminodes truncate at tip. Carpels hairy. Follicles 5-(7), strongly veined, erect, 15-30 mm long; styles deciduous, 6-8 mm long.

N.: Auckland (Waitakere Reservoir), Bay of Plenty (Opotiki and Waioeka Gorge), Volcanic Plateau (near Erua), Wellington district; S.: scattered localities in Nelson, Westland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland; St.: Halfmoon Bay.

W., C. and S. Europe 1878

Garden escape or garden discard, sometimes naturalised on riverbanks, roadsides, scrub, and in disturbed forest.

FL Sep-Dec FT Oct-Mar.