高乌头 gao wu tou

Rhizome terete, ca. 20 cm, to 2 cm in diam. Stem (60--) 95--150 cm tall, simple or branched, below inflorescence retrorse pubescent, basally nearly glabrous. Basal leaf 1, and proximal cauline leaves long petiolate; petiole 30--50 cm, nearly glabrous; leaf blade reniform or orbicular-reniform, 12--14.5 × 20--28 cm, both surfaces sparsely pubescent or glabrescent, base cordate, 3-parted; central lobe narrowly cuneate-rhombic, 3-fid with irregular triangular teeth at margin, apex acuminate; lateral lobes obliquely flabellate, unequally 3-fid slightly beyond middle. Inflorescence (20--)30--50 cm, many flowered; rachis and pedicels ± appressed pubescent; proximal bracts leaflike, others linear, 0.7--1.8 cm. Pedicels 0.7--5(--5.5) cm, with 2 bracteoles usually at middle; bracteoles narrowly linear, 3--9 mm. Sepals blue-purple or pale blue, abaxially densely retrorse pubescent; lower sepals 1.1--1.2 cm; lateral sepals 1--1.2 cm; upper sepal cylindric, 1.6--2(--3) cm high, 4--7(--9) mm in diam., lower margin 1.1--1.5 cm. Petals to 2 cm, glabrous; limb liguliform, ca. 3.5 mm; lip linear, conspicuous; spur circinate, ca. 6.5 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments usually 1- or 2-denticulate, rarely entire. Carpels 3; ovary glabrous. Follicles 1.1--1.7 cm. Seeds obovate, ca. 3 mm. Fl. Jun--Sep. 2n = 16*, 32*.

* Grassy slopes, forests, wet places in valleys; 1000--3700 m. S Gansu, NE Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, W Hubei, C and E Hunan, N and W Jiangxi, E Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, ?Yunnan.

Yang (Acta Phytotax. Sin. 37: 86. 1999) treated Aconitum jinchengense L. C. Wang & J. Silba (Phytologia 71: 307. 1991) as a synonym of A. sinomontanum . One of us (Kadota) agrees with that treatment.