dovelike

It’s hard to imagine anything more beautiful, particularly on an off-and-on again kind of rainy day like today. But, you see, columbines are in bloom. Spectacular wild columbine.

The word comes from the Latin “columbīna” meaning dovelike. It was believed that the upside down flower looked like a dole of five doves clustered together. (Yes, a small flock of doves is known as a dole.) In this case, as you can see from the photo I took at Ijams Nature Center, the doves are vivid vermilion with dangling saffron yellow legs.

With columbine (and larkspur) the long upward turned spurs are called nectaries, in itself, another charming word. It's where nectar is secreted. Whisper it to yourself, "nectaries." See what I mean? Charming.