Aquilegia ottonis
Aquilegia ottonis is a perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, endemic to Greece.
Description
Aquilegia ottonis grows to in height, with branching stems and white, cream, pale bluish, or blue-purple flowers, the petals having incurved and slightly hooked nectar spurs which are light violet-blue in colour.Taxonomy
Aquilegia ottonis is part of the Aquilegia olympica aggregate, together with Aquilegia olympica itself, Aquilegia dinarica, and Aquilegia champagnatii.The taxonomy of the species differs between authorities. It was considered by Arne Strid to comprise three subspecies:A. ottonis subsp. amaliae Strid, now treated in Plants of the World Online as a separate species, Aquilegia amaliae.A. ottonis subsp. ottonis Boiss., now often considered a synonym of Aquilegia ottonis rather than a subspecies thereof. Other authorities consider the status of this name unresolved.A. ottonis subsp. taygetea Strid, now treated in Plants of the World Online as a separate species, Aquilegia taygetea.
In 2009, Aquilegia vulgaris var. speluncarum Lacaita was reclassified as A. ottonis subsp. speluncarum Del Guacchio. Both these names are now considered to be synonyms of Aquilegia champagnatii.
Etymology
Aquilegia ottonis is named after King Otto of Greece, the specific epithet 'ottonis' being the third declension in Latin of 'Otto'.Distribution and habitat
Aquilegia ottonis is endemic to Greece, in the vicinity of Mount Aroania in the northern Peloponnese and Mounts Giona and Parnassus on the other side of the Gulf of Corinth in central Greece. It grows in ravines at altitudes of, preferring north-facing slopes.Records of the species in the Alburni mountains in Italy are now classified as Aquilegia champagnatii, and those in Albania as Aquilegia amaliae.