6 ACONITUM NAPELLUS 



longitudinally ridged with nearly parallel veins, the two lateral 

 ones broadly ovate, blunt, hairy within, the two lower oblong 

 or lanceolate, unequal. Petals 2 8, unequal, the two posterior 

 enclosed in the hood of the posterior sepal, arched and of very 

 peculiar form, consisting of a long curved stalk, supporting at the 

 end a small annexed tongue-like blade which is prolonged 

 backwards into a rounded hollow knob which forms a recurved 

 apex to the petal, the remaining ones usually some (or all) 

 suppressed or abortive, very small, subulate, very similar to the 

 filaments. Stamens numerous, hypogynous, filaments rather 

 long, dilated below, slightly hairy, the outer ones drooping, 

 anthers small, roundish, 2 -celled, dull green. Carpels 3, quite 

 distinct, shorter than the stamens, somewhat divergent, ovary 

 oblong, smooth, with numerous ovules in 2 rows, styles tapering, 

 stigma faintly bilobed. Fruit of 3 follicles, erect, dry, papery, 

 veined, scarcely an inch long, compressed-cylindrical, beaked by 

 the recurved styles, dehiscent down the ventral suture. Seeds 

 numerous, angular, irregularly pyramidal, brown, the testa thick, 

 with irregular prominences and excavations, embryo very small at 

 the base of the abundant endosperm. 



Habitat. In one or other of its forms the Aconite grows 

 throughout Europe, except the extreme north and the south- 

 west, and is widely distributed also through temperate and 

 subarctic Asia and North America. It is especially a plant of 

 subalpine pastures and wet shady places in hilly districts, and is 

 common in the Alpine chains of Europe and also in the 

 Himalaya range, where it extends from 10,000 feet elevation up 

 to the limit of vegetation. In this country it can scarcely be 

 considered a native, but occurs by some rivers in the west of 

 England in a semi-wild condition. For medicinal purposes 

 Monkshood is not much cultivated, the root of the wild plant 

 being collected, but as an ornamental garden plant it is very 

 familiar ; the singular flowers are expanded in July, and are occa- 

 sionally pale blue or white. 



The varieties of A. Napellus are very numerous, depending on 

 locality and elevation. For the European forms, many of which 



