The story
From the Latin adjective columbīna "of [a] pigeon[s], dove[s]" (which was used as a modifier, qualifier (i.e. pigeon-like, pigeonish, dove-like, dovish) before the noun herba "plant"), which comes from the noun columba "pigeon, dove". The adjective columbina was later nominalized, with the noun herba "plant" understood. (columbine/dove [plant] < columbina [herba]).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.