Paraquilegia caespitosa

Paraquilegia caespitosa is a species of perennial flowering plant in the genus Paraquilegia in the family Ranunculaceae. As with other Paraquilegia, the species is a cushion plant. It forms dense tufts at the base of the plant. The leaves of the plant are ternate (in three parts) on petioles that are approximately 2 cm (0.79 in) long. The grayish-green blades of the leaves are broad and ovate, ranging from 6 mm (0.24 in) to 8 mm (0.31 in) long and 3 mm (0.12 in) to 4 mm (0.16 in) wide. The plants possess broadly obovate to broadly rhombic leaflets which range from 5 mm (0.20 in) to 9 mm (0.35 in) long and wide. The leaflets are borne on slender petiolules that are between 2 mm (0.079 in) and 9 mm (0.35 in) long. The species's flowers bloom from late May to July. The flowers present singly on scapes and are between 2.5 cm (0.98 in) and 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. The scapes range from 35 mm (1.4 in) to 60 mm (2.4 in) long. All flowers in the genus possess five sepals and five shorter yellow petals. The sepals are purplish red to pink. These sepals are 12 mm (0.47 in) long and 7 mm (0.28 in) wide. The petals are narrowly obovate and range between 4 mm (0.16 in) and 6 mm (0.24 in) long. Fruiting plants possess follicles that are approximately 1 cm (0.39 in) long. Follicles appear in sets of three to five, occasionally up to six. P. …

The range of Paraquilegia caespitosa spans from northern Iran to Xinjiang in China and the western Himalayas. The Flora of China records the species's range including Afghanistan, Kashmir, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The plant favors shady, gravelly slopes at elevations of approximately 2,900 m (9,500 ft) to 4,800 m (15,700 ft) above sea level, with occurrences occasionally as low as 2,500 m (8,200 ft) above sea level. Wild specimens have been noted in fissures and screes. An erroneous description in the Flora Iranica suggested the species was endemic to Iran and attributed examples of what were likely P. carspitosa in the Hindu Kush and Pakistani mountains as Paraquilegia anemonoides. The presence of the species in Afghanistan was first confirmed with photographs of occurrences in rock crevices in the Hindu Kush, taken in the 1970s by Bob Gibbons.

Rock gardeners have generally considered Paraquilegia a challenging genus to cultivate. According to botanist and gardener Christopher Grey-Wilson, the "basic requirement [for Paraquilegia] is very good drainage, a cool root run and part shade". While substantial quantities of Paraquilegia seeds have been acquired from the Himalayas and western China, relatively few plants have been successfully grown in cultivation.

== References ==

The genus name Paraquilegia means "next to" or "besides" Aquilegia (the genera of columbines). While the leaves of Paraquilegia and columbines may have similar appearances, the flowers of Paraquilegia are more similar to those of the genus Anemone. The word aquilegia itself may come from the Latin word for "eagle", aquila, in reference to the columbine's petals' resemblance to eagle talons. Aquilegia may also derive from aquam legere, which is Latin for "to collect water", or aquilegium, a Latin word for a container of water. The specific name caespitosa is Latin for "tufted".