54 FLORA INDICA. [Ranunculocece . 



t)ic others by the hairy pale-coloured posterior petals, a character which appears 

 constaut in a considerable series of specimens. It differs a good deal in habit from 

 all the other species except the last, the leaves of which are veiy different, so that 

 we do not hesitate to keep it distinct. At the same time we readily admit that it 

 is quite possible that more extended observation will show that the characters derived 

 from the follicles and petals are of less importance than we at present believe, in 

 which case several of the species above described must necessarily be reduced. 



17. ACONITUM, L. 



Nirbisia, G. Don, Stjst. Gardening, i. 63; Calthse sp., Sam, in Edin.Journ. Sc. 

 i. 249. 



Sepala 5, insequalia ; supremum {cassis) convexum vel fornicatum, 

 CcBtera plana. Felala 2 superiora inti'a cassidem abscondita, unguicu- 

 lata, apice in saooum (cucullum) forma varium expausa, caetera minima 

 vel abortiva. Ovaria 3-6. — Yisxh^B peretmes, erecta, f oliia palmaiisectis. 

 Flores ochroleuci, violacei, vel sapius ccendei. 



This genus is entirely confined to the northern hemisphere, the species being 

 chiefly European and north Asiatic. A few only are American. Some inhabit 

 woods, others mountain pastures, and the latter are often very alpine. The Indian 

 species are all temperate Himalayan, and occur in every part of that chain in nearly 

 equal proportions, but most abundantly perhaps to the eastward in the humid parts 

 of Nipal and Sikkim, where they grow in very wet places, generally near streams. 

 Four of the Himalayan species are endemic, but three are common to these moun- 

 tains and Europe. Of these, two inhabit the forest region, but one (the com- 

 mon A. Napellus) is in India always alpine, and confined to the driest regions in the 

 interior. 



There appears to be no necessity for following Eeichenbach into the critical de- 

 tails by which he has illustrated this Protean genus, as most botanists appear con- 

 vinced that he has enormously over-estimated the number of species. Most Aconites 

 grow with great luxuriance in rich soil, and have besides been very extensively culti- 

 vated : they therefore vary much in luxuriance, and in the size of the flowers. The 

 shape of the sepals and petals is also far from constant, and it is upon slight differ- 

 ences in these that Reichenbach relies for the discrimination of his species. These 

 differences are merely of degree, and are so trifling, that an examination of the 

 plates of his monograph of the genus, will, we think, satisfy most persons, that at 

 least three-fourths of his species are mere varieties. In this opinion we are sup- 

 ported by the authority of Seringe, who seems to have studied the genus with great 

 care in the mountains of Switzerland, as well as in a state of cnltivation, and whose 

 testimony to the great amount of variation in all parts of the flower is quite in ac- 

 cordance with what we have observed in the Indian species. The characters of the 

 species are difficult to express in words with precision, as they are chiefly derived 

 from variations in the shape of the posterior sepal or helmet, and of the petals, 

 which are very irregular. 



The roots of certain species of this genus constitute the celebrated Bikh poison 

 of the Himalaya. The result of our inquiries into this interesting subject has been, 

 that no individual species is particularly prized, but that several yield this virulent 

 poison. The degree of virulence varies greatly according to the soil, exposure, cli- 

 mate, and altitude, at which the plant grows, — to such a degree indeed, that we have 

 grounds for believing that the same species which is violently deleterious in humid 

 shaded localities, is all but inert in drier, loftier, colder, and more sunny places. That 

 this is no anomaly in the vegetable kingdom is notorious to persons familiar with 

 the influence of external causes on the developmeut of medicinal properties in the 

 Hemp and Poppy. So "far as our experience goes, A. NapeUus, ferox, pahnatum. 



