06.01.13 birdlike blossoms

Remember how I like researching flower names? So often the etymology reveals another aspect of the unique character and beauty of the blossoms.

– from Wikipedia

The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals, which are said to resemble an eagle’s claw. The common name “columbine” comes from the Latin for “dove”, due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together.

blog060113_columbine152/365: columbine

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