Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Tulikalaadsed (Ranunculales)
Sugukond: Tulikalised (Ranunculaceae)
Perekond: Kurekell (Aquilegia)
Liik: Harilik kurekell - Aquilegia vulgaris  L.

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Kurekell on mitmeaastan rohttaim tulikaliste sugukonnast, perekonnast kurekell. Taime kõrgus jääb tavaliselt vahemikku 50–70 cm. Taime varred hargnevad ülemises osas ja on enamasti paljad. Kurekella juurmised lehed on pikarootsulised ning on kahelikolmetised, nende servad on täkilised. Ülemised lehed on lihtsamad, kolmetised ja nende lehekesed on terveservalised. Lehed hõredakarvased. [1,2]

Kurekellal esineb õisi mitmesugustes värvidoonides, enamasti violetsest valge ja roosakaspunaseni. Kultivaridel esineb ka muid toone. Õite läbimõõt on 3–4 cm. Õiekate kaheli, viietine; kroonlehed kannusega. Tolmukaid palju, emakaid 3-15. Viljad on kuni 2 cm pikkused paljuseemnelised kuivad kukkurviljad. [1,2]

Levila

Harilik kurekell on Euroopa liik. Taim kasvab lubjarikkal pinnasel hõredates lehtmetsades, võsastikes, metsa- ja teeservadel. Meil paiguti sage, eriti Lääne Eestis; aedades ilutaimena. Taim kasvab tulnukana ka Põhja- ja Lõuna-Ameerikas ning Kirde-Aasias. [2] 

Toime ja kasutamine
Kurekellas leidub tsüanogeenseid glükosiide, flavonoid-C-glükosiidmalonaate, isotsüstososiidi, flavonoidemulsiini, parkainet, aquilegiini, C-vitamiini ja alkaloide. Kurekell on mürgine. Umbes 20 grammi lehtede tarbimine on põhjustanud mürgistussümptomeid nagu iiveldus, oksendamine, kõhulahtisus, hingamisraskused, südamevalud, hajameelsus, uimasus ja segasus. Selle toksiinid hävinevad siiski kuumuse ja kuivatamisega, mistõttu on taime ka toiduks tarvitatud. Kaasaegses meditsiinis taime ei kasutata.  [3,4]

Kasutatud allikad
1. Harilik kurekell. (16. juuni 2023). Vikipeedia. Vaadatud: 08:26, 19. november 2023, aadressil https://et.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harilik_kurekell&oldid=6421115.
2. Aquilegia vulgaris L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2022-01-30
3. Aquilegia Vulgaris. (Aasta). Academic Accelerator. https://academic-accelerator.com/encyclopedia/aquilegia-vulgaris
4. Hao, D.-C. (2019). Biodiversity, Chemodiversity, and Pharmacotherapy of Thalictrum Medicinal Plants. In Ranunculales Medicinal Plants.

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Aquilegia
Species: European columbine - Aquilegia vulgaris  L.

Botanical Description
Common columbineis a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and the genus Aquilegia. The plant's height usually ranges between 50–70 cm. Its stems branch in the upper part and are mostly glabrous. The basal leaves of columbine are long-stalked and bi- or tripinnate, with serrated edges. The upper leaves are simpler, trifoliate, and their leaflets have entire margins. The leaves are sparsely hairy. [1,2]

Common columbine flowers occur in a variety of shades, mostly ranging from violet to white and pinkish-red. Cultivars may also exhibit other colors. The flowers have a diameter of 3–4 cm. The perianth is double and consists of five segments; the petals have spurs. The stamens are numerous, and the plant has 3–15 pistils. The fruits are dry, multi-seeded follicles, up to 2 cm in length. [1,2]

Distribution
Common columbine is a European species. It grows on calcareous soils in sparse deciduous forests, shrublands, forest edges, and roadsides. It is locally common, especially in western Estonia, and is also cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens. As an introduced species, it also grows in North and South America and Northeast Asia. [2]

Effects and Usage
Columbine contains cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoid-C-glycosyl malonates, isocytisoside, flavonoid emulsin, tannins, aquilegiin, vitamin C, and alkaloids. Columbine is toxic. Consumption of approximately 20 grams of leaves has been reported to cause poisoning symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory difficulties, heart pain, absentmindedness, drowsiness, and confusion. However, its toxins degrade with heat and drying, which has made it possible to use the plant as food in the past. Columbine is not used in modern medicine. [3,4]

References
1. Harilik kurekell. (June 16, 2023). Wikipedia. Accessed: 08:26, November 19, 2023, at https://et.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harilik_kurekell&oldid=6421115.
2. Aquilegia vulgaris L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
3. Aquilegia Vulgaris. (Year). Academic Accelerator. https://academic-accelerator.com/encyclopedia/aquilegia-vulgaris.
4. Hao, D.-C. (2019). Biodiversity, Chemodiversity, and Pharmacotherapy of Thalictrum Medicinal Plants. In Ranunculales Medicinal Plants.