FLOUA INDICA. [Ranuvculacea. 



elongati, sajpe bipoUicares. Cassis elongata, minus fomicata, quam in 

 forma typica. Fetala longe uogniculata, calcare brevissimo obtuso, labellum non 

 EEquans. 



3. Caulis adscendens vel prostratus, 3-12-poUicaris. Folia radicalia numerosa, 

 longe petiolata, renifonnia, diam. 1-3-poll., ultra medium 5 -Ada, segmentis rotuu- 

 dato-trilobis vel obtuse tridentatis; eaulina sessilia, palmatim B -partita. Plores fere 

 prions, sepalis ssepe longius persistentibus. 



This is at once the most widely diffused and the most variable Aconite, being ex- 

 tremely abundant in temperate Europe, Asia, and America, in mountain pastures, 

 and ascending into the alpine region. In America and Asia it is found abundantly, 

 even on the borders of the arctic zone. At low elevations it is vei^ luxuriant ; 

 and as it grows generally in rich soil near villages or the huts of the mountain shep- 

 herds, it sports to a great extent. At high elevations it becomes very small, and 

 assumes many forms, which, considered per se, would at once be regarded as speci- 

 fically distinct, but which, when traced by the assistance of numerous suites of spe- 

 cimens, are found to present no well-defined characters. 



To the Indian botanist who has not had an opportunity of observing the amount 

 of variation to which this species is subject in different parts of the world, or of 

 studying extensive suites of specimens in a dried state, the association of all these 

 varied forms under one specific name will doubtless appear at first sight very sur- 

 prising. The Himalayan forms, however, are quite similar to those of other coun- 

 tries. The smaller alpine states are the same as those of Siberia and North America, 

 and some of the larger specimens are strikingly like Pyreneau and Spanish specimens, 

 which exhibit a very peculiar facies, but which even Boissier does not consider spe- 

 cifically distinct. 



Though this plant yields a part of the Bikh poison of the Himalaya, yet we are 

 informed by our friend Colonel Munro that the roots of the alpine form are eaten 

 by the hiH-men of Kanawer as a pleasant tonic, under the same name (Atees) as 

 those of the next species. 



7. A. heterophyllum (Wall. Cat. 4722 !) ; foliis vix lobatis, ra- 

 cemo multifloro simplioi, floribus oohroleucis vel oseruleis, petalorum 

 cuoullo ecaloarato, foUiculis a ereotis, seminibus argute triquetris Iffivi- 

 bus. — Royle! III. 56. t. 13. A. cordatum, Royle! III. 56. A. Atees, 

 Royle, Joiirn. As. Soc. i. 459 (ex ipso auotore). 



Hab. In Himalaya occidentali temperata, alt. 8-13,000 ped. . Dras 

 et Kashmir ! Simla ! Kumaoii ! — (PI. Sept. Oct.) (v. v.) 



Badix fusiformis, perpendicnlaris. Canlis erectus, .foliosus, simplex vel ramosns, 

 l-S-pedalis, glaber, superne velutino-pnbescens. Folia radicalia petiolata, rotundato- 

 reniformia vel cordata, obscure 5-loba, grosse duplicato inciso-crenata vel dentata 

 glabra, eaulina late cordata, brevissime petiolata vel amplexicaulia, floralia oblonga 

 vel lanceolata. Eacemi laterales et terminates, multiflori, laxi vel densi. Pedicelli 

 ereeti, floribus Ecquales vel longiores. Bracteolm 2-3, suhmembrauacea;, ovataj vel 

 oblonga;, alternEe. Flores ultra-poUicares, ochroleuci, purpureo-venosi, vel lajte 

 caerulei. Sepala exlus puberula ; cassis eonvexa, navieularis ; lateralia oblique ovalia, 

 antica sinuosa, lanceolata. Petala ungue late lineari subincurvo, apice in cucullum 

 subglobosum obtusum inflatum ecalcaratum dilatata. Ovaria 5, pubescentia. Folli- 

 ouli J poll, longi, puberuli, ereeti. 



According to Dr. Royle, the roots of this plant are employed in Indian Materia 

 Medica as a tonic, under the name of Atees. 



18. CIMICIPUGA, L. 



Sepala 4-5, regularia, elliptica. Petala 3-5, rarius nulla, forma 



