10 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



properties are due to the roots containing bikhaconitine, pseudo- 

 aconitine, or indaconitine. 



The non-poisonous Aconites, the active principles .of which 

 are either Atisine or Palmatisine, are d) A. heterophyllum, Wall.; 

 (ii) A. palmatum ; (Hi) A. rotundifolium ; (iv) A. violaceum. 



The poisonous aconites are (i) A. falconeri, (ii) A. laciniatum ; 

 (Hi) A. lethale ; (if>) A. spicatum ; it?) A. deinorrhizuni ; (vi) A. 

 Balfourii ; (mi) A. Chasmanthum ; (mii) A. soongaricum. 



12. Aconitum lycotonum, Linn. h. f. be. i., i. 28. 



Vern. :— Bika (H) ; Khanik-El-Zeb (Arab.). 



Habitat : — Himalaya, from Chitral to Kumaon, mostly in 

 forests, locally abundant, from 5,000 — 12,000 ft. Kashmir. 



Root perennial, elongate, more or less cylindric, ultimately 

 breaking up into separate or anastomosing strands. Stem erect, 

 simple, 3-6ft., glabrous or pubescent, much branched. Leaves 

 palmately deeply 5-9-lobed, 6-10 in. diam., lobes cuneate-ovate ; 

 lower leaves long-petioled, upper sessile. Racemes branched, 

 long, tomentose, bracts minute. Flowers pale yellow or dull 

 purple, variable in size ; helmet with a short beak and long 

 cylindrical dorsal prominence. Follicles 3, spreading ; testa 

 plaited. 



Uses : — This species also yields much of the aconite of Euro- 

 pean commerce. 



Dr. Stapf writes: — The root does not appear to be used 

 medicinally, and its chemistry is unknown. Dr. Jowett's notes 

 quoted by Dr. Watt, in Agric. Ledger 1932, No. 3, p. 89, refer 

 to the chemistry of the European A. Lycotonum. 



13. A. palmatum, Don. D. Prodr. h. f. br. 

 e, i. 28. 



Vern. : — Bikhma, Vakhama (Bomb.) ; Vakhamo (Guzr). Bis- 

 hawa (E. s 



Habitat: — Alpine Himalaya of Nepal, Sikkim and the 

 adjoining part of South Tibet, from 10,000-16,000 feet. 



