The Common Monk's-Hood 



(ACONITUM NAPELLUS) 



SEVERAL species of Aconitum are met with in Switzerland. 

 They have all bright-coloured flowers, especially adapted for 

 fertilisation by humble-bees. It is only where there are 

 humble-bees to convey the pollen from flower to flower that 

 seeds can mature, so that where these insects do not exist the 

 Aconites cannot spread. The five sepals of the Aconite 

 flowers are coloured for attractive purposes, the highest being 

 especially large and helmet-shaped. Protected by this are 

 the representatives of the petals, so modified and reduced 

 that they no longer have any attractive function, and are only 

 of use to the plant by producing honey. They form a couple 

 of nectaries on long stalks inside the helmet-shaped sepal. 



The Common Monk's-Hood is found in rich moist 

 meadows between 3000 and 7000 feet. It seems to be 

 especially common in the neighbourhood of Alpine dairies 

 and cow houses. It flowers in June and July, and is very 

 poisonous. From the conical root, resembling that of horse- 

 radish, the preparations of aconite used in medicine are 

 prepared. When applied externally, aconite causes tingling 

 and numbness and may relieve the pain of neuralgia. 

 Internally, it depresses the action of the heart and lowers 

 the temperature of the body. Homeopathists still use it 

 for this purpose, but in doses so small as to have no 



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