128 'J^HE BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. [Voi. xxii. No. 259. 



with, fails to help you to classify all our Aconitam under one 

 head, the second one is sure to advocate your opinion, i.e. if 

 you are in earnest ; for so comprehensible and varied are their 

 descriptions ! 



Besides, there are so many characteristics which blend into 

 each other, that we are sometimes satisfied to let them come 

 under the head of Aconitum Fischeri. 



But the distinct species are distinct species, and if we dare 

 not discuss farther, we must remain in this present stage. I 

 have therefore tried to study up Japanese Aconitum, and classify 

 them according to their characteristics which remain unchange- 

 able or almost unchangeable; disregarding as much as possible 

 all what keep varying. 



THE DICHOTOMOUS KEY OF SPECIES, VARIETIES AND FORMS. 



A. Hood cylindrical, erect or curved backward. 



a) Flower intense blue A. Lycoctonum L. 



b) Flower yellow or pale yellow. 

 o) Hood erect. 



O Hood elongate, slender A. thelyphonum Reichb. 



00 Hood shorter; but large, flower pale yellow 



A. pallidum Reichu. 



j9) Hood curved backwards •••• 



A. Lamarckii Reichb. forma palmatum Nakai. 



B. Hood conical or navicular-shaped. 



a) Stem twining, carpels mostly 5 A. volubile Kcelle. 



b) Stem not twining, erect or flexuous. 



o.) Stem and twigs strictly erect, not flexuous. 

 O Leaves palmately 3-7 lobed. 



A Raceme elongate many-flowered, leaf-dentation slender, 



remarkably acuminate, carpels mostly 3 



A. Fischeri Reichb. 



A A Raceme short, few-flowered, leaf-dentation lanceolate 

 or sometimes slender. 

 * Stem about 1-3 feet high. 



t Stem 1 foot high, leaves 3 cm. long 



A. Kamtschaticum forma nanum Nakai. 



tt Stem 2-3 feet high, leaves 5 cm. long or longer. ... 

 A. Kamtschaticum Willd. 



