Columbine

Aquilegia (Yellow Columbine pictured here in the Lone Peak Wilderness Area) is a genus with 60+ different species. The flower is believed to have spread across the Bering land bridge from Asia to Alaska 10,000-40,000 years ago, at which point new species began forming across North America in response to new climates and new pollinators. The unique positioning of sepals and petals in each species is the result of this evolution. Each plant tells its family's story through its form! Aquila is Latin for "eagle," as the flower resembles a group of doves. While the flowers are edible in small amounts, the seeds and roots are highly poisonous.

It is interesting to consider the evolution of Homo sapiens. What role does the environment play in who we are today, literally and physically, and what are the implications of losing touch with our Mother? What are the possible outcomes of taking control our own physical evolution, through the manipulation of DNA, and of taking that control away from a higher power?


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