Aconitum novoluridum Munz in Gentes Herb. 6: 472. 1945; Lauener in Notes R. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 25: 29. 1963; ibid. 26: 9. 1964; ibid. 37: 117 - 118. 1978. A.luridum Hook. f. & Thomson, Fl. Ind. 55.1855 & in Fl. Brit. India 1: 28. 1872 (non Salisb. 1816).

Herbs, perennial; rootstock rhizomatous, cylindrical, surrounded at apex by withered remains of petioles; stems erect, 0.5 - 1.5 m high, simple, slightly pubescent. Basal leaves few; petioles up to 30 cm long; lamina reniform-cordate, palmately 3 - 5-partite, 6 - 15 cm in diam.; segments cuneate-ovate, crenate, often withered at flowering time; cauline leaves 2 - 5-partite; segments 5 - 15 mm broad; all leaves hairy on both surfaces. Racemes up to 25 cm long, simple or with a few branches at base, densely yellowish pubescent; flowers dull red or yellowish inside and purplish outside; pedicels up to 5 mm long; lower bracts leafy, sessile, 3 - 5 partite; upper entire. Uppermost sepal ovate, with a long straight beak and dome-like back, 1.3 - 1.7 cm high, brown-tomentose; spur rounded, 4 - 5 mm long. Petals (honey scales) T-shaped, purplish, glabrous; head ca 5 mm across, positioned at right angles on 3 - 4 mm long claw. Filaments purplish red, glabrous. Carpels 3, oblique, contiguous; seeds transversely wrinkled or smooth.

Fl. & Fr. Aug. - Sept.

Distrib. India: Alpine and subalpine slopes among Fir forests or Juniper/Rhododendron scrubs, 3600 - 5000 m. West Bengal and Sikkim.

Bhutan and China (S.E. Tibet).