Aconitum napellus, monkshood, aconite, Venus' chariot or wolfsbane, is a species of highly toxic flowering plants in the genus Aconitum of the family Ranunculaceae, native and endemic to western and central Europe. A perennial plant, it is herbaceous and grows to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall, with hairless stems and leaves. The leaves are rounded, 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) diameter, palmately divided into five to seven deeply lobed segments. The flowers are dark purple to bluish-purple, narrow oblong helmet-shaped, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) tall. Plants native to Asia and North America formerly listed as A. napellus are now regarded as separate species. The plant is extremely poisonous in both ingestion and body contact. It is the most poisonous plant in all of Europe.
Cultivation
Aconitum napellus is grown in gardens in temperate zones for its spiky inflorescences that are showy in mid-autumn, and its attractive foliage. There are white and rose colored forms in cultivation too.
The cultivar 'Spark's Variety' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Subspecies
Nine subspecies are accepted by the Flora Europaea:
Aconitum napellus subsp. napellus, south-western Britain
Aconitum napellus subsp. corsicum (Gáyer) W.Seitz, Corsica
Aconitum napellus subsp. firmum (Rchb.) Gáyer, Central and eastern Europe (declared as an own species Aconitum firmum)
Aconitum napellus subsp. fissurae (Nyár.) W.Seitz, Balkans to south-western Russia
Aconitum napellus subsp. hians (Rchb.) Gáyer, Central Europe
Aconitum napellus subsp. lusitanicum Rouy, south-western Europe
Aconitum napellus subsp. superbum (Fritsch) W.Seitz, western Balkans
Aconitum napellus subsp. tauricum (Wulfen) Gáyer, Eastern Alps, southern Carpathians (declared as an own species Aconitum tauricum by other sources)
Aconitum napellus subsp. vulgare (DC.) Rouy & Foucaud, Alps, Pyrenees, northern Spain
Uses
Aconitum napellus is grown in gardens for its attractive spike-like inflorescences and showy blue...
