CEOWFOOT FAMILY. 



33 



dark bearded petals folded up in such a way as to resemble an insect in 

 the centre of the flower. 



7. ACOXI'TUM, Tournef. Monkshood. 



[The ancient name.] 



Sepals petal-like, irregular, the upper one hooded and larger than the 

 others. Petals 2 (the 3-lower entirely wanting or resembling sterile 

 stamens) , small spur-shaped bodies on a long slender c/aw', concealed 

 under the hood. Pistils 3-5. Poi?5 several-seeded. Acrid and poison- 

 ous perennial herbs with palmately divided leaves, and racemes or pani- 

 cles of show J Jlowers. 



A. ISTapel'lus, L. Flowers race- 

 mose on short pedicels ; hooded 

 sepal semicircular ; divisions of the 

 leaves parted into linear lobes ; root 

 fusiform ; flowers blue. 

 Monkshood. Wolfsbane. Aconite. 



Root somewhat woody. Stem erect, sim- 

 ple, rather stout and very leafy. Flowers 

 mostly dark violet or blue. 



Cultivated in gardens. Native of Europe. 

 June. 



Obs. This is a very variable spe- 

 cies of which De Candolle notices 

 29 varieties, differing in the color of 

 the flowers and division of the 

 leaves ; many of these are highly 

 ornamental plants, and are often 

 cultivated. All parts of the plant 

 are highly poisonous ; especially is 

 this the case with the root. Death 

 has resulted from mistaking- the 

 roots for those of Horseradish in 

 early spring. It is introduced here 

 in order that its poisonous character 

 may be known. ^ 



8. CIMICIF'UGA, L. Bugbane. 



[Latin, Cimex, a bug, SLUdfugare, to drive away ; in allusion to supposed virtues.] 



Sepals 4 -.5, falling soon after expansion. Petals (or altered stamens) 

 minute, pedicelled,with 2 horns at the apex. Stamens numerous. Car^ 

 pels 1-8, follicular, many-seeded. Perennial herbs. Leaves hi- or tri- 

 ternately divided. Flowers in virgate racemes. 



Fig. 13. Monkshood (Aconitum Xapi-llus). 



2* 



