Aconitum violaceum
Jacquem. ex Stapf in Ann. R. Bot. Gard. Calc. 10: 144 - l46. l905. A. multifidum Royle, Illus. Bot. Himal. 56. 1834 (non Koch & Reichenb. 1827).
A. napellus var. multifidum (Royle) Hook. f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India 1 : 29. 1872.
Herbs, biennial; roots paired, tuberous; stems 10 - 35 cm high, stout, erect or
ascending from a hypogeous base, simple. Leaves very few, 1 or 2 on the hypogeous stem
and 1 or 2 higher up on the stem; lamina orbicular, cordate or reniform, deeply 5-partite,
2.5 - 7.5 cm in diam.; secondary divisions laciniate, 1 -
3 mm wide. Inflorescence a short
lax or dense raceme or a corymb or reduced to a solitary flower; bracts small, linear;
flowers 2-2.5 cm long, blue or violet, pubescent; pedicels erect, hairy; bracteoles linear,
small. Uppermost sepal boat-shaped, ca 2 cm long; upper lateral sepals suborbicular to
subquadrate; lower lateral sepals oblong, obtuse, smaller. Petals glabrous; head T-
shaped. Filaments hairy in upper part. Carpels 5. Follicles densely yllowish hairy.
KEY TO THE VARIETIES
| 1a. stems 30 - 60 cm high; racemet stout, many-flowered; flowers blue, white variegated | 27.1. robustum |
| b. Stems 10 - 35 cm high; racemes short, few-floweted or reduced to a solitary flower; flowers blue or violet, not white variegated | 27.2. violaceum |
