Aconitum uncinatum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. ed. 2, 1: 750. 1762.

Common names: Wild monkshood
EndemicIllustrated
Synonyms: Aconitum uncinatum subsp. muticum (de Candolle) Hardin Aconitum uncinatum var. acutidens Fernald
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Roots tuberous, tubers distally not obviously bulblike, 10-30 × 5-15 mm, parent tuber producing several (ca. 5) daughter tubers separated from parent by connecting rhizomes 5-30 mm. Stems erect, reclining or climbing, 3-25 dm. Cauline leaves: blade 3-5-divided, usually with more than 2 mm leaf tissue between deepest sinus and base of blade, 4-10 cm wide, segment margins cleft and toothed. Inflorescences open racemes or panicles. Flowers commonly blue, 2.5-5 cm from tips of pendent sepals to top of hood; pendent sepals 10-18 mm; hood conic-hemispheric, 15-27 mm from receptacle to top of hood, 13-24 mm wide from receptacle to beak apex.


Phenology: Flowering late summer (mid Aug-late Sep).
Habitat: Wet areas along streams and in springs, also less mesic locations in woods and clearings
Elevation: 200-2000 m

Distribution

V3 961-distribution-map.gif

Ga., Ind., Ky., Md., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Aconitum uncinatum grows in the Appalachian Mountains, on the Piedmont, and on the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain. It is a relatively homogeneous group divided into two intergrading subspecies by J. W. Hardin (1964).

Daughter tubers and connecting rhizomes are seldom present on herbarium specimens because they are easily dislodged during collection.

Available information suggests that Aconitum uncinatum is probably not one of the extremely toxic aconites (D. E. Brink 1982).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Aconitum uncinatum"
D. E. Brink +  and J. A. Woods +
Linnaeus +
cuneate +, truncate +  and cordate +
expanded +
straight +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
3-5-divided +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
globose;cylindric +
Wild monkshood +
nearly +  and sessile +
Ga. +, Ind. +, Ky. +, Md. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
200-2000 m +
sessile +  and pedicellate +
showy +  and inconspicuous +
sessile +  and aggregate +
Wet areas along streams and in springs, also less mesic locations in woods and clearings +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2.7 cm27 mm <br />0.027 m <br />) +
conic-hemispheric +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (2.4 cm24 mm <br />0.024 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (28 cm280 mm <br />0.28 m <br />) +
membranous +
round-reniform +
compound +  and simple +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
cauline +  and basal +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
palmate +  and pinnate +
toothed;incised +
capitate +  and coiled +
distinct +
long-clawed +
reduced +
Flowering late summer (mid Aug-late Sep). +
Sp. Pl. ed. +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
elongate +
not arillate +  and stalked +
deltoid +
3 (?) +  and 7 (?) +
not persistent +
distinct +
3 +  and 6 +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
Endemic +  and Illustrated +
reclining +  and erect +
persistent +
Aconitum uncinatum subsp. muticum +  and Aconitum uncinatum var. acutidens +
Aconitum uncinatum +
Aconitum +
species +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
cylindric +, hemispheric +  and rounded-conic +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
herbaceous +  and woody +