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Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
1998
Columba, Latin for dove, describes the little covy of doves that seem to be huddled as the flower hangs down. Aquil, Latin for eagle, most likely compares the spurs of this "revolver" flower to eagles' talons. A flower visitor is forced to probe deeply into the separate spurs changing position as it does so, exposing itself to more pollen (or depositing it). These red spurs with yellow entrance guides are the nectar holding petals. The attraction of hummingbirds to red flowers probably has more to do with insects' inability to see the color red than any special preference for it by the hummingbirds.
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