Aquilegia chaplinei (Chapline's Columbine)
Family
RANUNCULACEAE
Synonyms
AQUILEGIA CHRYSANTHA A. GRAY VAR. CHAPLINEI (PAYSON) E.J. LOTT
Common Name
Chapline's Columbine
| USFWS | State of NM | USFS | BLM | Navajo Nation | State Rank | Global Rank | R-E-D Code | NMRPTC Status | Strategy Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEN | S2 | G2 | 2-1-2 | R | SS |
| Overall Conservation Status | Documented Threats | Actions Needed |
|---|---|---|
| EFFECTIVELY CONSERVED | Water management/use |
Status surveys on abundance, distribution and threats |
Description
Perennial herb; stems 2-5 dm long, glabrous except for the glandular-pubescent upper parts, openly branched; basal leaves biternately to triternately divided into 3 or 6 leaflets, leaflets lobed, glabrous, dark green above, somewhat paler beneath; petioles slender, glabrous, 5-12 cm long; stem leaves several, gradually reduced upward; flowers suberect, pale-yellow, somewhat pubescent; sepals petal-like, broadly lanceolate 13-16 mm long, 4-6 mm wide; petal blade shorter than the sepals, petal base prolonged backwards into a slender spur 3-4 cm long, about 4 mm wide at base; stamens exceeding petal blades by almost 1 cm; follicles 18-22 mm long; seeds almost 2 mm long. Flowers April to October.
Similar Species
Aquilegia chrysantha has spurs that are greater than 4 cm long.
Distribution
New Mexico, Eddy and Otero counties, Guadalupe and southern Sacramento mountains; adjacent Texas.
Habitat
Limestone seeps and springs in the montane scrub or riparian canyon bottoms at 1,400-1,700 m (4,700-5,500 ft).
Remarks
None
Conservation Considerations
Since this species is mostly found in remote canyons, it is well protected from most human impacts. The Sitting Bull Falls population is easily accessible and slightly impacted by recreational activities. Populations on the western slope of the Sacramento Mountains are vulnerable to habitat loss from diversion of water for municipal uses.
Important Literature
New Mexico Native Plants Protection Advisory Committee. 1984. A handbook of rare and endemic plants of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. (Illustration is not A. chaplinei.)
*Warnock, B.H. 1974. Wildflowers of the Guadalupe Mountains and the Sand Dune Country, Texas. Sul Ross University, Alpine, Texas.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1997. Flora of North America, volume 3. Oxford University Press, New York.
Information Compiled By
Ken Heil, Joey Herring 1999; last updated 2007
For distribution maps and more information, visit Natural Heritage New Mexico