ii PREFACE. 
I have already acknowledged the great assistance I received from Major 
Praw and Mr. Dorare—without it it would have been impossible to accomplish 
the task satisfactorily; but I have also to thank Prof. Barrovm for the loan of the 
Edinburgh collection, Prof. Мавѕнаіл, Warp for that of some of Royle’s speci- 
mens in the herbarium at Cambridge, Mr. CASIMIR DE CANDOLLE for а beautiful 
photograph of the specimen from which Séringe deseribed Wallich's 4. feroz, and 
Prof. Warmine for sending me the Indian Aconites of the Copenhagen herbarium, 
among which were several sheets from Nepal, which Wallich had communicated 
to his friend Hornemann. Last, but not least, I feel deeply obliged to Miss 
бмітн for the great pains she has taken with the execution of the drawings, 
and to Major Pras for superintending the lithography. 
As to the plan of my work, J thought it advisable to bring once more 
together all that can be said about the history of the more important among 
the Indian Aconites. Much of it has already been recorded by others, but the 
new facts that have come to light and new ways of seeing the old, have called 
for a fresh review of the whole. | 
Тһе chemistry of the Indian Aconites has lately made some progress owing 
to Prof. DuwsrAN's efforts. Much has stil to be done, and I hope that the 
clearer insight we now have into the differentiation of this group -of plants will 
prove a new stimulus in this direction. 
Great importance attaches to the anatomy of the root tubers for the dis- 
crimination of the species, as such, and still more for that of the drugs as they 
are found in the bazars. I have introduced into my monograph as much of it 
as appeared necessary for diagnostic purposes and for field use, if I may say so. 
The finer details appeared to be out of place, and moreover they require further 
testing on still richer material. I have, however, added a short paragraph on the 
principal features of the structure of the Aconite roots, as I thought it might 
facilitate the use of the characters derived from it. 
The Bibliography or the various references to the Indian Aconites and a list 
of the vernacular names applied to them have been added as appendices to the text. 
ОТТО STAPF, 
HERBARIUM, | 
Royan Вотахіс GARDENS, Kew; 
7th April 1904. 
