Definition
Aconitum plicatum is a species of perennial herbaceous flowering plant belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. It is commonly referred to as folded monkshood or pleated monkshood.
Overview
Aconitum plicatum is native to temperate regions of East Asia, including parts of China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East. The species typically inhabits montane meadows, forest margins, and shaded slopes at elevations ranging from 500 to 2,400 m above sea level. Like other members of the genus Aconitum, it is valued for its strikingly tall spikes of blue‑violet flowers, but it is also noted for its high toxicity due to the presence of potent diterpenoid alkaloids.
Etymology / Origin
The generic name Aconitum derives from the Greek word akonion (ἀκόνιον), meaning “dart” or “point,” a reference to the plant’s historically reputed use as a poison for arrow tips. The specific epithet plicatum is Latin for “folded” or “pleated,” describing the characteristic deeply folded or pleated leaf margins of the species.
Characteristics
- Habit: Perennial herb reaching heights of 60–150 cm, emerging from a rhizomatous rootstock.
- Leaves: Palmately lobed, with deeply incised, pleated segments that give the foliage a folded appearance; leaf surfaces are typically glabrous to sparsely pubescent.
- Stems: Erect, slender, and usually unbranched, bearing a single terminal inflorescence.
- Flowers: Produced in a dense, racemose spike; each flower possesses the hallmark helmet‑shaped (involucral) sepal, which is typically deep blue to violet, while the petals are reduced to small nectaries. The blooming period occurs from June to August, depending on latitude and altitude.
- Fruit: A follicle that matures to an erect, elongated capsule containing numerous small seeds equipped with a silky coma for wind dispersal.
- Chemical composition: Contains aconitine‑type alkaloids (e.g., aconitine, hypaconitine) that are highly cardiotoxic and neurotoxic. Contact with any plant part can cause skin irritation; ingestion is potentially fatal.
- Reproduction: Primarily sexual via seed production; vegetative propagation can occur through rhizome division.
Related Topics
- Aconitum napellus – the common European monkshood, a closely related and equally toxic species.
- Ranunculaceae – the buttercup family, encompassing a diverse group of herbaceous plants.
- Diterpenoid alkaloids – a class of compounds responsible for the pharmacological and toxic properties of Aconitum species.
- Medicinal toxicology – the study of plant-derived poisons and their effects on human physiology.
- Alpine flora – the broader ecological community of high‑altitude plant species with which Aconitum plicatum commonly coexists.