AQUILEGIA, or COLUMBINE, in botany, a genus of the polyandria pentagynia class. It has no calix; the petals are five, and five horn-like nectaria are inserted betwixt each petal; it has also five separate capsules. There are three species of aquilegia, viz. the vulgaris, or common columbine, a native of Britain; the alpina, a native of Switzerland; and the Canadensis, a native of Virginia and Canada. The aquilegia is reckoned to be an aperient, but has long since given way to more powerful medicines.