Aconitum noveboracense

• Overview
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Threatened

Common Names

Description

Family Ranunculaceae

Herbs perennial or annual , sometimes subshrubs or herbaceous or woody vines . Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, rarely opposite or whorled , simple or variously compound , palmately nerved, rarely penninerved , with or without stipules. Inflorescence a simple or compound monochasium, dichasium, simple or compound raceme, or flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual , sometimes unisexual , actinomorphic , rarely zygomorphic, hypogynous. Sepals 3--6 or more, free , petaloid or sepaloid , imbricate or sometimes valvate in bud. Petals present or absent, 2--8 or more, free, usually with nectaries. Stamens numerous , rarely few, free; filaments linear or filiform ; anthers latrorse , introrse , or extrorse ; sometimes some sterile stamens becoming staminodes. Carpels numerous or few, rarely 1, free, rarely connate to various degrees ; ovary with 1 to many ovules. Fruit follicles or achenes, rarely capsules or berries . Seeds small, with abundant endosperm and minute embryo.

About 60 genera and 2500 species: worldwide, but richly represented in N temperate regions , particularly in E Asia; 38 genera (four endemic) and 921 species (604 endemic) in China.[1]

Genus Aconitum

Herbs, perennial , from tubers or elongate , fascicled roots . Leaves basal and cauline, proximal leaves petiolate , distal leaves sessile or nearly so; cauline leaves alternate. Leaf blade palmately divided into 3-7 segments, ultimate segments narrowly elliptic or lanceolate to linear , margins incised and toothed . Inflorescences terminal , sometimes also axillary , 1-32(-more) racemes or panicles, to 28 cm; bracts leaflike, not forming involucre. Flowers bisexual , bilaterally symmetric ; sepals not persistent in fruit; lower sepals (pendents) 2, plane , 6-20 mm; lateral sepals 2, round-reniform; upper sepal (hood ) 1, saccate , arched, crescent-shaped or hemispheric to rounded-conic or tall and cylindric , usually beaked , 10-50 mm; petals 2, distinct , bearing near apex a capitate to coiled spur, concealed in hood, long-clawed; nectary present, on spur; stamens 25-50; filaments with base expanded; staminodes absent between stamens and pistils; pistils 3(-5), simple ; ovules 10-20 per pistil; style present. Fruits follicles, aggregate, sessile, oblong , sides prominently transversely veined; beak terminal, straight, 2-3 mm. Seeds deltoid, usually with small, transverse , membranous lamellae. x =8.

Species ca. 100: circumboreal , southward into n Mexico and n Africa.

The greatest concentration of species of Aconitum is in Asia, with a smaller group in Europe.

Aconitum is phylogenetically most closely related to Delphinium Linnaeus as evidenced by similarities in karyotype , production of diterpene alkaloids, and similarities in floral morphology. Distinctive and unique floral morphology clearly distinguishes Aconitum from all other genera.

The aconites have been of interest since ancient times because they contain diterpene alkaloids that range from relatively nontoxic to deadly poisonous. In various parts of the world they have been used medicinally and as a source of poisons throughout history (D. E. Brink 1982). Use of Aconitum alkaloids in modern medicine was largely discontinued by the late 1930s and early 1940s (E. E. Swanson et al. 1938; H. C. Wood and A. Osol 1943; A. Osol et al. 1960).

Aconitum is a circumboreal arctic and alpine genus that extends into lower latitudes where there is suitable mesic habitat at high elevations along the north-south chains of mountains in eastern and western North America, and also in outlying, scattered , mesic, interglacial refugia , occasionally at low elevations.

The genus Aconitum worldwide is notorious for complex patterns of morphologic intergradation that blur the lines between taxa. Aconites from different regions may be morphologically distinct but connected by a series of intermediate races. Aconitum columbianum exemplifies this in North America, and A. delphiniifolium may extend this complex of variation into Asia. Intergradation between A. columbianum and A. delphiniifolium should be more fully investigated.

Cultivated aconites with origins outside North America sometimes persist in old gardens or are encountered as garden escapes , especially in eastern Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec). These may include Aconitum lycoctonum Linnaeus, A. napellus Linnaeus, A. variegatum Linnaeus, and A. bicolor Schultes. Aconitum lycoctonum is similar to A. reclinatum of the southeastern United States in having the tall, conic-cylindric hood that is characterisitc of species in Aconitum sect. Lycoctonum de Candolle. Aconitum reclinatum has white flowers whereas A. lycoctonum has lilac-purple flowers.

A more complete treatment of the cultivated aconites likely to be encountered in North America can be found in H. J. Scoggan (1978-1979, part 3, pp. 718-720) and P. A. Munz (1945).[2]

Physical Description

Biology

Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 15-18" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 7.8

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Shade.

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b. (map)

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Aconitum columbianum noveboracense Mill.
2. Aconitum columbianum noveoboracense Munro
3. Aconitum noveboracense var. quasiciliatum Fassett
4. Aconitum uncinatum noveboracense (Gray Ex Coville) Hardin

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Bull . Torrey Bot. Club 13:190. 1886

Name verified on 02-May-1996 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 24-Jun-1998

Similar Species

Members of the genus Aconitum

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 914 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

A. abbreviatum · A. abietetorum · A. acaule · A. achranthum · A. ackermannii · A. A. anthora 'Yellow Monkshood' · A. acuminatum · A. acutiusculum · A. acutum · A. adenocarpum · A. adriaticum · A. aegophonum · A. aestivalis · A. aff. pendulum · A. aff. pyramidale Napellus Group · A. aggregatifolium · A. aizuense · A. ajanense · A. alatavicum · A. alatum · A. albicans · A. albidum · A. albo-violaceum · A. alboflavidum · A. alboviolaceum (White Monks Hood) · A. alboviolaceum var. albiflorum · A. album · A. algoviense · A. alienum · A. alpino-nepalense · A. alpinum · A. altaicum · A. altigaleatum · A. altissimum · A. altissimum subsp. penninum · A. ambiguum · A. amoenum · A. amplexicaule · A. ampliflorum · A. amurense · A. anglicum · A. angulatum · A. angusticassidatum · A. angustifolium · A. angustisegmentum · A. angustius · A. anthora (Yellow Monkshood) · A. anthora subsp. confertiflorum · A. anthoroideum · A. anthorum · A. apetalum · A. apoiense · A. aquilonare · A. arctophonum · A. arcuatum · A. arendsii · A. arizonicum · A. artemisiifolium · A. assamicum · A. atees · A. atlanticum · A. atrocyaneum · A. atropurpureum · A. atrox · A. australe · A. austriacum · A. austro-koreense · A. austrokoreense · A. austroyunnanense (Monkshood) · A. autumnale · A. axilliflorum · A. azumiense · A. baburinii · A. baicalense · A. bailangense · A. bakeri · A. balangrense · A. balcanicum · A. balfourii · A. barbatum · A. barbatum subsp. pekinense · A. bartletii · A. bartlettii · A. baumgarteni · A. baumgartenianum · A. bavaricum · A. bavaricum lusenense · A. beckianum · A. benzilanense · A. bernhardianum · A. besserianum · A. bhedingense · A. bhutanicum · A. bicolor (Twocolor Monkshood) · A. biflorum · A. birobidshanicum · A. bisma · A. 'Blue Lagoon' · A. 'Blue Opal' · A. 'Blue Sceptre'

More Info

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Further Reading

• An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British possessions: from Newfoundland to the parallel of the southern boundary of Virginia, and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the 102d meridian / by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Hon. New York: C. Scribner's sons, 1913. ENG url p. 96.
• Annotated list of the ferns and flowering plants of New York state, by Homer D. House. Albany, The University of the state of New York, 1924. ENG url p. 335.
• Brink, D. 1982. Tuberous Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) of the continental United States: morphological variation, taxonomy and disjunction. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 109, 1: 13-23.
• Brink, D. E. 1982. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 109:13–23.
• Brink, D. E. et al. 1994. Sida 16:13.
• Brynildson, I. 1982. Wisconsin's Endangered Flora. Madison: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Office of Endangered and Nongame Species. 48p.
• Catalog of Ohio vascular plants: arranged according to the phyletic classification: with notes on the geographical distribution in the state, based mainly on specimens in the State Herbarium, Botanical Laboratory, the Ohio State Uni by John H. Schaffner Columbus: Ohio State University, 1914. ENG url p. 164.
• Cervelli, R. 1987. In-vitro Propagation of Aconitum noveboracense and Aconitum napellus. Hortscience. 22, 2: 304-305.
• Cole, C. T. & M. A. Kuchenreuther. 2001. Molecular markers reveal little genetic differentiation among Aconitum noveboracense and A. columbianum (Ranunculaceae) populations. Amer. J. Bot. 88:337–347.
• ESIS. (1998). Endangered Species System (ESIS): Fish and Wildlife Exchange. [Web site;] Virginia Tech. http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/. Accessed: 2002.
• Easterling, M. R.; Ellner, S. P.; Dixon, P. M. 2000. Size-specific sensitivity: Applying a new structured population model. Ecology. 81, 3: 694-708.
• Evans, J. E. 1984. Element Stewardship Abstract for Aconitum noveboracense. Arlington, Virginia: The Nature Conservancy.
• Field Museum of Natural History bulletin. Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History, [1930]-c1990. ENG url p. 11, p. 3.
• Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. (Glea Cron) [accepts].
• Gleason, H.A. 1952. The New Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York, NY: Hafner Press. 1732p.
• Hardin, J.W. 1964. Variation in Aconitum of eastern United States. Brittonia. 16: 80-94.
• Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. (L US Can ed2) [accepts].
• Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the U.S., Canada, and Greenland. In: Kartesz, J.T.; Meacham, C.A., editors. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden. Chapel Hill, NC.
• Kuchenreuther, Margaret Ann. 1991. Life History, Demography and Genetics of Aconitum noveboracense: Implications for Preservation and Management of a Threatened Species. Dissertation Abstracts International. 52-11, Section B: 5632.
• Litzow, M. 1978. Aconitum novaboracense Gray: a summary of the literature. Chanhassen, MN: University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. 4p.
• McCance, R.M., Jr.; Burns, J.F. 1984. Ohio Endangered and Threatened Vascular Plants: Abstracts of State-listed Taxa. Columbus, Ohio: Department of Natural Resources.
• Naturalist's guide to the Americas, prepared by the Committee on the Preservation of Natural Conditions of the Ecological Society of America, with assistance from numerous organizations and individuals, assembled and edited by chairman, Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins, 1926. ENG url p. 481.
• Pusateri, W.P.; Roosa, D.M.; Farrar, D.R. 1993. Habitat and distribution of plants special to Iowa's Driftless Area. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science. 100, 2: 29-53.
• TNC. 1987. The Nature Conservancy Stewardship Abstracts. The Nature Conservancy. p.104.
• USFWS. 1978. Determination that 11 plant taxa are endangered species and 2 plant taxa are threatened species. Federal Register. 43, 81: 17910-17916.
• USFWS. 1986. Regional Briefs. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 11, 1: 10.
• USFWS. 1988. Regional News. Endangered Species Technical Bulletin. 13, 3: 2.
• USGS. (2002). Status of Listed Species and Recovery Plan Development. [Web site] USGS: Norther Prairie Wildlife Research Center. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/others/recoprog/plant.htm. Accessed: 2002.
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Species Information: threatened and endangered animals and plants - on-line resource. (US Fish & Wildl List) [accepts].
• Windus, Jennifer. 2002. Personal Communication [email] to the Holden Arboretum from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. Research and Monitoring Section.
• Brink, D. E. 1982. Tuberous Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) of the continental United States: Morphological variation, taxonomy and disjunction. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 109: 13-23.
• Brink, D. E., J. A. Woods, and K. R. Stern. 1994. Bulbiferous Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) of the western United States. Sida 16: 9-15. Hardin, J. W. 1964. Variation in Aconitum of eastern United States. Brittonia 16: 80-94.
• Kadota, Y. 1987. A Revision of Aconitum subgenus Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) of East Asia. Utsunomiya. Munz, P. A. 1945. The cultivated aconites. Gentes Herb. 6: 462-505.
• Shteinberg, E. I. 1970. Aconitum L. In: V. L. Komarov et al., eds. 1963+. Flora of the U.S.S.R. (Flora SSSR). Translated from Russian. 22+ vols. Jerusalem. Vol. 7, pp. 143-184.

Notes

Contributors

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 01, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 25, 2008)

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 01, 2008:

• USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2663255
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-181849
• GRIN Nomen Number: 316181
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 181849
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDRAN01070
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Identifier: Q1SN
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ACNO2
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 19519

Footnotes

1. Wencai Wang, Dezhi Fu, Liang-Qian Li, Bruce Bartholomew, Anthony R. Brach, Bryan E. Dutton, Michael G. Gilbert, Yuichi Kadota, Orbélia R. Robinson, Michio Tamura, Michael J. Warnock, Guanghua Zhu & Svetlana N. Ziman "Ranunculaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 6 Page 133. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. D.E. Brink & J.A. Woods "Aconitum". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]

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