Thursday, June 20, 2013

Aquilegia formosa truncata (crimson columbine, western columbine)


Description
Buttercup Family. 20 - 80 cm high. Blooms from April to August. Red sepals and yellow petals.

Location 
Prefers moist locations. Chaparral, forests, stream banks.

Other 
Flowers supposedly edible. All other parts of plant, including seeds and roots, contains cyanogenic glycosides which, if ingested, can cause severe gastroenteritis and heart palpitations. Poisonous if eaten as food. (Wikipedia)

Native American Usage
Hanaksiala and Yurok: Flowers sucked by children for the sweet nectar.
Miwok: Early spring greens boiled and eaten.
(Moerman, Daniel E. Native American Food Plants.)

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