Aconitum kongboense Lauener

Caudex subterete, ca. 8 cm, ca. 1.5 cm in diam. Stem erect, to 1.8 m, simple or branched, apically and inflorescence densely retrorse pubescent, or spreading pubescent. Leaves long petiolate; petiole 2--15 cm; leaf blade cordate-ovate, or ± pentagonal, ca. 15 × 15 cm, both surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent at veins, 3-sect; central segment rhombic, base narrowly cuneate, subpinnately parted from middle to apex, lobes linear-lanceolate or lanceolate; lateral segments obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-parted nearly to base. Distal inflorescence to 60 cm, many flowered; proximal bracts leaflike, others lanceolate or subulate. Pedicels 1--10 cm, with 2 bracteoles at middle or above; proximal bracteoles leaflike, distal ones linear. Sepals white-purple or purplish, abaxially pubescent or glabrous; lower sepals 1.3--1.5 cm; lateral sepals 1.5 cm; upper sepal galeate or navicular, sometimes navicular-galeate, shortly clawed, 1.5--2 cm, with a triangular ca. 5 mm beak, 1.5--2 cm from base to beak, lower margin concave. Petals sparsely pubescent; limb ca. 8 mm; lip ca. 3.5 mm, apex slightly concave; spur incurved, ca. 2 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire or 2-denticulate. Carpels 3--11, glabrous or sparsely white pubescent. Fl. Jul--Aug.

W Sichuan, Xizang, NW Yunnan.

* Scrub, grasslands, mountains; 3000--4000 m.

Flowering from July to August.

Aconitum kongboense var. kongboense is close relative of Aconitum kongboense var. polycarpum, but differs from the latter in its upper sepal galeate, sometimes navicular-galeate (vs. navicular), abaxially sparsely pubescent (vs. glabrous), filaments entire (vs. entire or 2-denticulate), carpels 3 or 4 (vs. 6-11).

Aconitum kongboense is occurring in W Sichuan, Xizang of China.

Nuclear ITS sequence data were used to investigate phylogenetic relationships within Aconitum subgenus Aconitum (Luo et al., 2005). Results indicated that species from northern China show relatively close relationships with those from Europe, North America, Japan and Korea of eastern Asia. High morphological variation but low genetic diversity found in species from the Hengduan Mountains region probably indicates a recent radiation. ITS topology is congruent well with the subgrouping of the subgenus Aconitum based on the morphology of seeds and of petals, suggesting that seed and petal morphology may reflect well the phylogenetic relationships within the subgenus.

Caudex subterete, ca. 8 cm tall, ca. 1.5 cm in diameter. Stem erect, to 1.8 m, simple or branched, apically and inflorescence densely retrorse pubescent. Leaves long petiolate; petiole 2-15 cm; leaf blade cordate-ovate, or ± pentagonal, ca. 15 cm long, 15 cm wide, both surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent at veins, 3-sect; central segment rhombic, base narrowly cuneate, subpinnately parted from middle to apex, lobes linear-lanceolate or lanceolate; lateral segments obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-parted nearly to base. Distal inflorescence to 60 cm, many flowered; proximal bracts leaflike, others lanceolate or subulate. Pedicels 1-10 cm, with 2 bracteoles at middle or above; proximal bracteoles leaflike, distal ones linear. Sepals white-purple or purplish, abaxially pubescent or glabrous; lower sepals 1.3-1.5 cm; lateral sepals 1.5 cm; upper sepal galeate, sometimes navicular-galeate, shortly clawed, 1.5-2 cm, with a triangular ca. 5 mm beak, 1.5-2 cm from base to beak, lower margin concave, abaxially sparsely pubescent. Petals sparsely pubescent; limb ca. 8 mm; lip ca. 3.5 mm, apex slightly concave; spur incurved, ca. 2 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire. Carpels 3 or 4, glabrous or sparsely white pubescent.

Growing in scrub, grasslands; 3000-3700 m.