Aquilegia micrantha

Aquilegia micrantha, the Mancos columbine or Bluff City columbine, is a perennial species of plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.

Description
The Mancos columbine grows to 30–60cm in height with white, cream, blue, or pink sepals, 8 to 20 mm in length. The blades are white or cream and 6 to 10 mm long. The spurs are white or colored like the sepals, 15 to 30 mm long, and straight with the tips of the spurs curving inward. The stamens extend beyond the blades.

Taxonomy
The specific name micrantha means "small-flowered", from Greek μικρός "small" + ἄνθος "flower, blossom".

The usual common name Mancos columbine is taken from the town of Mancos, Colorado, from where the type specimen was sent by Alfred Wetherill (brother of Richard Wetherill) to the describer of the species, Alice Eastwood. Wetherill noted in his letter to Eastwood that it was similar enough to Aquilegia ecalcarata that he at first took it for that species.

Distribution and habitat
Aquilegia micrantha is endemic to the Southwestern United States (southeastern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and extreme northern Arizona), where it grows in hanging gardens in canyons where alkaline water seeps from the bases of cliffs.

Varieties
Three varieties are accepted.
 * Aquilegia micrantha var. grahamii (S.L.Welsh & Goodrich) N.H.Holmgren & P.K.Holmgren – Graham's columbine, Utah
 * Aquilegia micrantha var. loriae (S.L.Welsh & N.D.Atwood) N.H.Holmgren & P.K.Holmgren – Lori's columbine, Utah
 * Aquilegia micrantha var. micrantha – Utah, Colorado, and northern Arizona