Columbine

Aquilegia atrata

Family
Ranunculaceae

Genus
Aquilegia

Related genera
Aconitum, Anemone, Delphinium, Helleborus, Pulsatilla, Ranunculus

The english name Columbine comes from the shape of the flower petals, which resemble dove-wings. The sientific name Aquilegia contains the Latin aquila = eagle, probably deriving from the shape of the flower's spur, which looks like an eagle's beak. Hildegard von Bingen calls the flower old German aglaia, which per chance contains also the cabbalistic AGLA formula (Psalm 88, 53). Columbine seems to have been unknown in antique medicine but features prominently in medieval medical manuscripts, where it was considered potency-boosting. One book comes up with 273 different uses of Aquilegia. It was believed to be antiscorbutic, icteric, to cleanse the body, heal wounds and protect young couples from evil hexes. The flower features prominently in medieval and particularly gothic Christian iconography where it repesents the holy spirit and the holy trinity (based on the flower's own geometry), as well as humility, e.g. of Mother Mary and Christ. In another context seven columbines represent the seven spiritual gifts of the holy spirit, the seven cardinal virtues or the seven dolors of mother Mary. Italians attributed a slightly different meaning to the flower where it is called amor nascosto = secret love, symbolizing seduction. Leonardo da Vinci painted the flower beside Bacchus/Dionysos, god of wine, lust and ecstasy. Before Chritians discovered the flower its seed had already been in use for centuries as part of flying ointments. One report tells also of Native Americans who made philtres of aquilegia along with ginger, snake meat and gelatine. A later superstition helt that lions would eat the flower in spring to regain strength and virility, as the name Herba Leonis indicates. Some suggested to wash the Membrum virile with a decoction of auqilegia. The herb strewn unto straw protected the couple that slept upon it from barrenness. In 17th century Europe the flower had an ambiguous standing, on the one hand it symbolized obscenity, on the other humility, and it was common to plant on graves.

Toxicity
Columbine contains a carcinogenic prussic acid glycoside, which has the highest concentration in the seeds. The symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dyspnea, heart trouble and stupor. Aquilegea contains further isoquinoline alcaloides which are strong irritant poisons.

Names
Columbine, Akelei, Taubenblume, Tauberln, Fünf Vögerl zusamm, Elfenhandschuh, Frauenhandschuh, Kapuzinerhütli, Pfaffenkäpple, Venuswagen, Schlotterhose, Teufelsglocken


Sources:
Wikipedia English, Wikipedia German
Flowers as Christian Symbols

Fotos © Teufelskunst