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Ranunculaceae FAMILY

Aconitum palmatum

Aconitum palmatum

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
1/5

Safety & Hazards

One report says that this species has a non-poisonous root[ 240 Title Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Publication Author Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Publisher Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. Year 1986 ISBN - Description Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader. ], though this should be treated with caution[ K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ]. The following notes are based on the general toxicity of the genus. The whole plant is highly toxic - simple skin contact has caused numbness in some people[ 1 Title RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Publication Author F. Chittendon. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1951 ISBN - Description Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]). , 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. 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. The use of Aconitum alkaloids in modern Western medicine was largely discontinued by the late 1930's and early 1940's, though the roots are still widely used in traditional medicine, especially in Asia[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. , K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ].

Botanical Description

Aconitum palmatum is a herbaceous, perennial plant with an erect, branchless or nearly so, stem 60 - 120cm tall. The stem grows from a biennial tuberous root that produces a new tuber each year, the old tuber dying after the plant flowers[ 1051 Title Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden Vol.10 Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta Year 1905 ISBN Description A botanical journal, this edition contains a treatment of the genera Dalbergia and Aconitum in Asia. Rather old, but a wealth of information, illustrations etc. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for medicinal use.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate
Native RangeE. Asia - Himalayas in Nepal, Sikkim and south Tibet.
HabitatAlpine regions at elevations between 3,000 - 5,000 metres[ 240 Title Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Publication Author Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Publisher Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. Year 1986 ISBN - Description Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader. ].