Monk's-hood
Monk's-hood on a bank of the river Brit, West Dorset
Side view showing hoods
Multiple stamens and anthers
Styles and stigmas
Fruiting bodies - follicles
Palmate, deeply-lobed, lower leaf
Aconitum napellus
Ranunculaceae
Aconite, Devil's Helmet and Wolf's-bane among others.
May to September
It is scattered throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Monk's-hood
It grows on shady stream banks, damp meadows and open
woods.
Monk's-hood is a native or introduced, tuberous, perennial
herb, growing up to 1.5m.
Flowers are in spikes, blue to purple with a conspicuous
helmet-shaped hood.
There are 5 petaloid sepals with the upper one forming
the hood.
There are up to 10 petals that are reduced to nectaries.
There are numerous stamens which appear before the
styles.
There are 5 styles with small stigmas.
Fruits are in erect linked follicles.
Leaves are up to 15cm, green, palmate and deeply
divided.
All parts of the plant contain alkaloids, such as
aconitine, which are poisonous and used traditionally
to adulterate drinks and the tips of arrows.
The poison is also used as an external herbal medicine.
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Next page: Mountain Pansy
Monk's-hood on a bank of the river Brit, West Dorset
Side view showing hoods
Multiple stamens and anthers
Styles and stigmas
Fruiting bodies - follicles
Palmate, deeply-lobed, lower leaf
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