24 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



are eight' petals originally disposed like those of NigoUa, but the two 

 opposite the posterior sepal alone receive any mai'ked development. 



Fio. 43. 

 Flower. 



Aconitum Napelhts. 

 Fig. 44. 

 Flower, the sepals detacLed. 



Fig. 45. 

 Diagram. 



Each has the form of a conical tube swollen at the tip, where it is 

 lined by a glandular nectariferous tissue, the inner border forming a 

 projecting lip, and the outer border supported by a long inflexed 

 claw, whose margins are turned inwards to form a kind of gutter 

 (fig. 46). The six other petals are reduced to short filaments, 

 unequal and but slightly coloured. The stamens are very numerous, 

 and inserted spirally as in Ni(j(jllay but the secondary spirals are not 



Arotii/iim Napellus. 

 Fig. 46. 

 Longitndinnl section of flower. 



Fio. 47. 

 Fruit. 



SO marked. The filaments are dilated, and, as it were, peialoid 



' Patku, Organo/j., 252, t. Iv. 



