58 flora indica. [Rantmculac&e . 



petioli elongati, asepe bipollicares. Cassis elongata, minus foimcata, quam in 

 forma typica. Petala longe unguiculata, calcare brevissimo obtuso, labellum non 

 sequans. 



3. Caulis adscendens vel prostratus, 3-12-pollicaris. Folia radicalia numerosa, 

 longe petiolata, reniformia, diam. 1-2-poll., ultra medium 5-fida, segmentis rotun- 

 dato-trilobis vel obtuse tridentatis; caulina sessilia, palmatim 5 -partita. F lores fere 

 priori s, sepalis seepe longius persistentibus. 



This is at once the most widely diffused and the most variable Aconite, being ex- 

 tremely abundant in temperate Europe, Asia, and America, in mountain pastures, 

 and ascending into the alpine region. In America and Asia it is found abundantly, 

 even on the borders of the arctic zone. At low elevations it is very luxuriant ; 

 and as it grows generally in rich soil near villages or the huts of the mountain shep- 

 herds, it sports to a great extent. At high elevations it becomes very small, and 

 assumes many forms, which, considered per se, would at once be regarded as speci- 

 fically distinct, but which, when traced by the assistance of numerous suites of spe- 

 cimens, are found to present no well-defined characters. 



To the Indian botanist who has not had an opportunity of observing the amount 

 of variation to which this species is subject in different parts of the world, or of 

 studying extensive suites of specimens in a dried state, the association of all these 

 varied forms under one specific name will doubtless appear at first sight very sur- 

 prising. The Himalayan forms, however, are quite similar to those of other coun- 

 tries. The smaller alpine states are the same as those of Siberia and North America, 

 and some of the larger specimens are strikingly like Pyrenean and Spanish specimens, 

 which exhibit a very peculiar fades, but which even Boissier does not consider spe- 

 cifically distinct. 



Though this plant yields a part of the Bikh poison of the Himalaya, yet we are 

 informed by our friend Colonel Munro that the roots of the alpine form are eaten 

 by the hill-men of Kanawer as a pleasant tonic, under the same name (Atees) as 

 those of the next species. 



7. A. heterophyllum (Wall. Cat. 4722 !); foliis vix lobatis, ra- 

 ceino multifloro simplici, floribus ochroleucis vel cseruleis, petaloruni 

 cucullo ecalcarato, folliculis 5 erectis, seminibus argute triquetris lsevi- 

 bus. — Royle! III. 56. t. 13. A. cordatum, Royle I III. 56. A. Atees, 

 Royle, Journ. As. Soc. i. 459 (ex ipso auetore). 

 * Hab. In Himalaya occidental temperata, alt. 8-13,000 ped. : Dras 

 et Kashmir ! Simla ! Kumaon ! — (Fl. Sept. Oct.) {v. v.) 



Radix fusiformis, perpendicularis. Caulis erectus, foliosus, simplex vel ramosus, 

 1-3-pedalis, glaber, superne velutiuo-pubescens. Folia radicalia petiolata, rotundato- 

 reniformia vel cordata, obscure 5-loba, grosse duplicato inciso-crenata vel dentata 

 glabra, caulina late cordata, brevissime petiolata vel amplexicaulia, floralia oblonga 

 vel lanceolata. Racemi laterales et terminates , multiflori, laxi vel densi. Pedicel h 

 erecti, floribus sequales vel longiores. Bracteola 2-3, submembrauacese, ovate vel 

 oblongse, alternse. Flores ' nltra-pollicares, ochrolenci, purpureo-venosi, vel lsete 

 caerulei. Sepala extus puberula ; cassis convexa, navicularis ; latendia oblique ovaba, 

 antica sinuosa, lanceolata. Petala ungue late lineari subincurvo, apice in cucullum 

 subglobosum oblusum inflatum ecalcaratum dilatata. Ovaria 5, pubescentia. Folli- 

 culi f poll, longi, puberuli, erecti. 



According to Dr. Royle, the roots of this plant are employed in Indian Materia 



Medica as a tonic, under the name of Atees. 



18. CIMICIFUGA, L 



Sepal 



Petala 3-5, rarius nulla, forma 



