Flora of North America species comparison

Genera ca. 60, species 1700 (22 genera, 284 species in the flora).

The flowers of many species of Ranunculaceae begin to open long before anthesis, while the floral organs are just partly expanded. Only mature flowers with open anthers should be used for determination of diagnostic characteristics (especially measurements).

The literature is inconsistent about the term for the whorl of organs between sepals and stamens; these may be conspicuous and petaloid, or reduced to stalked nectaries, or intermediate between the two states. They have been called petals, honey-leaves, or (when they are inconspicuous) staminodes or nectaries. We follow M. Tamura (1993) and treat as petals all organs between the sepals and stamens, except in Clematis and Aquilegia where they usually bear rudimentary anthers and clearly represent staminodes.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Species ca. 100 (5 in the flora).

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.

Aconitum napellus and A. variegatum are European introductions with leaves divided to the base as in A. delphiniifolium, which is native to Canada and Alaska. The introduced species have taller hoods and relatively short-petiolate leaves compared to A. delphiniifolium; in A. delphiniifolium petioles are longer, i.e., mostly as long as blades. Aconitum napellus has smooth seeds that lack the undulating membranous lamellae present in A. delpinifolium and A. variegatum.

Aconitum bicolor is a reputed hybrid between A. napellus and A. variegatum, having leaves like the former and flowers similar to the latter. It is always sterile; seeds are not viable. Flowers of A. bicolor are frequently white with purple margins.

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).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)