CKOWFOOT FAMILY. 



33 



dark bearded petals folded up in such a way as to resemble an insect in 

 the centre of the flower. 



7. ACONI'TUM, Tournef. MONKSHOOD. 



[The ancient name.] 



Sepals petal-like, irregular, the upper one hooded and larger than the 

 others. Petals 2 (the 3-lower entirely wanting or resembling sterile 

 stamens) , small spur-shaped bodies on a long slender claw, concealed 

 under the hood. Pistils 3-5. Pods several-seeded. Acrid and poison- 

 ous perennial herbs' with palmately divided leaves, and racemes or pani- 

 cles of showy flowers. 



A. NAPEL'LUS, L. Flowers race- 

 mose on short pedicels ; hooded 

 sepal semicircular ; divisions of the 

 leaves parted into linear lobes ; root 

 fusiform ; flowers blue. 

 MONKSHOOD. Wolfsbane. Aconite. 



Root somewhat woody. Stem erect, sim- 

 ple, rather stout and very leafy. Flowers 

 mostly dark violet or blue. 



Cultivated in gardens. Native of Europe. 

 June. 



Obs. This is a very variable spe- 

 cies of which De Candolle notices 

 29 varieties, differing in the color of 

 the flowers and division of the 

 leaves ; many of these are highly 

 ornamental plants, and are often 

 cultivated. All parts of the plant 

 are highly poisonous ; especially is 

 this the case with the root. Death 

 has resulted from mistaking the 

 roots for those of Horseradish in 

 early spring. It is introduced here 

 in order that its poisonous character 

 may be known. * 



8. CIMICIF'UGA, L. BUGBANE. 



[Latin, Cimex, a bug, andfugare, to drive away ; in allusion to supposed virtues.] 



Sepals 4-5, falling soon after expansion. Petals (or altered stamens) 

 minute, pedicelled,with 2 horns at the apex. Stamens numerous. Car- 

 pels 1-8, follicular, many-seeded. Perennial herbs. Leaves bi- or tri- 

 ternately divided. Flowers in virgate racemes. 



FIG. 13. Monkshood (Aconitum Xapellus). 



2* 



