6 ACONITUM NAPELLUS 



arc described as species, reference may be made to Reichenbach's 

 elaborate memoir on the genus, quoted below, which contains 

 coloured folio plates of most of them. One of these, A. Stoerk- 

 eanum, Reichenb., an alpine plant, is considered a good species by 

 Koch and other botanists ; it is figured in Hayne, xii, t. 15, Nees, 

 Supp., and Berg and Sch., t. 28 e ; its roots are also collected 

 for use. 



In the Himalayas similar variety prevails ; the forms are 

 grouped under four varieties in the " Flora of British India," one 

 of which, var. rigidum, is the plant erroneously figured in the 

 " Plant. Asiat. Rariores" by Wallich as his A. ferox. 



Syme, E. Bot., i, p. 64 ; Hook, f ., Stud. Fl., p. 11 ; Watson, 

 Comp. Cyb. Brit., p. 87; Koch, Fl. Germ. & Helv., ed. 2, 

 p. 25; Gren. & Godr., Fl. de France, i, p. 51; Ledebour, 

 Fl. Rossica, i, p. 69 ; Hook, f., Fl. Brit. Ind., i, p. 28 ; DC., 

 Syst. Yeg., i, p. 371; Reichenbach, Illust. Spec. Aconiti 

 Generis (1823-27) ; Lindl., Fl. Med., p. 7. 



Official Parts and Names. 1. ACONITI FOLIA; the fresh leaves 

 and flowering tops, gathered when about one third of the flowers 

 are expanded, from plants cultivated in Britain : 2. ACONITI 

 RADIX ; the dried root, imported from Germany, or cultivated in 

 Britain, and collected in the winter or early spring before the leaves 

 have appeared : 3. ACONITIA ; an alkaloid obtained from Aconite 

 (B. P.). 1. The fresh leaves and flowering tops, gathered when 

 about one third of the flowers are expanded, from plants cultivated 

 in Britain : 2. The dried root, collected in the winter or early 

 spring before the leaves have appeared (I. P.). 1. ACONITI FOLIA; 

 the leaves: 2. ACONITI RADIX; the root (U. S. P.). 



1. ACONITI FOLIA. Collection and Drying. In the British 

 and Indian Pharmacopoeias the fresh leaves and flowering tops 

 are directed to be gathered when about one third of the flowers 

 are expanded, for the reasons explained by us under Digitalis 

 purpurea. When carefully dried the properties of Aconite leaves 

 are not sensibly impaired at first, but they are deteriorated by long 

 keeping ; hence in those countries in which the plant cannot be 

 readily obtained in a fresh state, as in the United States, where 





