All. 11, p. 28:5; Tunzan. M. Ikiical.-Dahur. (1842), p. 81, no. 72. Avoiiiliini Napelliis C. A. 

 Meyer in Lcdeb. Fl. Alt. 11, p. 283; Turczan. Cat. Baical. no. 77; Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 1, p. 69. 

 Aconitiim Napelliis /i alpiniim a (imbiginim Regel, PI. Radd. (1861) p. 103. Aconitiim 

 Napelliis /? (tlpiniim Refuel, Kptiji. "tji. Ajt. I (1901) p. 41. Aconitiim Napelliis fi alpinum 

 h laxum. allaiciim ct soonoariciim Regel, 1. c. p. 104 et 105. [Tab. V, Fig. 1|. 



Tlie specimens referred to tliis subspecies by me, are especially distinguished from 

 the typical species by having a lower growth, and jjy having few-flowered stems, general- 

 ly 2-flowered only. The stems ai'e about 20 cm. high, bearing from 1 to 3, generally 2 

 rather large flowers. They are, no doubt, identical with specimens which I have seen 

 in the herbarium of the Imperial Botanical Gardens at Petrograd, with the following 

 inscription, in Iurczaninow's hand, on a label: „Aconiliini Baicalense mihi y alpinum. 

 In alpe Urgudei 1829. TuRCZ." It is no doubt the same specimens entered byTuKCZANiNOW 

 in 1842, in his Fl. Baical.-Dahur. p. 81, as Aconitum ambi<niiim Rek.hknb. After a 

 rather defective diagnosis, agreeing in the main with the above-mentioned specimens, 

 however, he adds the following note: „Talis est planta, quam in alpe Urgudei et in 



Dahuria inveni " Regkl ha.s, on a subsequent occasion, examined these authentic 



specimens of I'ukczaninow's of Aconilum baicalense y alpinum. and has given the 

 following additional note in the sheets: ,,.1. Napelliis L. ^ alpinum a ambiguum. teste 

 Regel." 



This species, which seemed to be comparatively widely distributed in the alpine 

 regions of central and eastern Asia, has by later authors been referred partly to A. 

 Napelliis L., partly to A. anibif/uiim Rkichenb. Thus, Komahow enters it in his $.1. 

 MaHmafyjiiu II (1903) p. 259 as A. Napelliis /J alpinum lusus a ambiguum Regel (A. 

 ambiguum Turczan.). 



The distinctions between the two said species are, by the way, very trite, and the 

 transition between the varieties of Aconilum Napelliis having toothed or smooth sta- 

 mens — as Reichenbach's species .1. Hoppeaniim and Koelleanum, only to be under- 

 stood as varieties of A. Napelliis — especially seemed to be rather insignificant. 



The reason, however, of my acquiescing in referring the specimens in cpiestion 

 as a variety to A. ambiguum is owing to the fad lliat there really are universal although 

 not very strongly marked differences between the Asiatic form and the European ones. 

 The first-mentioned is distinguished by a more slender and fine growth, with fewer 

 and more scattered flowers, and by being generally more or less glabrous, whereas the 

 European A. Napelliis with its numerous varieties, by being mostly of a higher and more 

 vigorous growth, more flowery and more densely flowered, with stems more or less 

 distinctly hairy. The segments of the leaves in the Siberian A. ambiguum are also mostly 

 broader than in A. Napellus and its varieties, and always broader than the stem. 



The specimens collected by me in the Altaian are distinguished by stems about 20 

 cm. high, rigid, erect, or sometimes curved at the base. The root is tuberously thick- 

 ened, about the size of a pea. The leaves are completely glabrous, deep]v5— 7 cleh, 

 or divided, the divisions obovate, cuneate at Die base, deeply indented into lanceolate 



246 



