YASIN J. NASIR

Perennial, rootstock formed by catenate tubers. Stem 50-60 cm high, unbranched, glabrous or with few curved hairs. On the uppermost part, almost fistulose. Leaves very similar to those of Aconitum soongaricum Stapf. Racemes simple or with a single branch, dense or lax, 8-18 flowered. Bracts developed only in the lower part of the inflorescence. Pedicels 5-25 mm long. Bracteoles linear, situated near the flowers. Sepals blue, suffused with lilac, helmet 6-8 mm high, 14-18 mm long, from the top of the long beak to the base with a ciliate margin, Lateral sepals obliquely orbicular to obovate, 15-16 mm long, 14-15 mm wide, sparingly hairy near the margin, lower ones oblong-lanceolate, ± obtuse, 14-15 mm long, ± 5 mm wide, ciliate at margin. Petals (_ectarines) with a very long, strongly curved claw, hood 4 mm high, lips ± 2 mm long, deflexed. Filaments with long, spreading hairs, in the lower third, winged, ending in short teeth or tru ncate. Carpels 3, covered by short curved hairs on the whole surface, lanceolate. Mature follicles not seen.

Type: Pakistan: Shandur Pass, SE. of Mastuj, c. 12,000’, Stainton 3095 (BM).

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Endemic to Chitral, wh ere the species had been confused with Aconitum chasmanthum. L ike Aconitum soongaricum, Aconitum curvipilum also differs from Aconitum chasmanthum in h aving a much higher helmet, a straight claw of the _ectarines, glabrous carpels etc. Aconitum chasmanthum, further differs from Aconitum curvipilum by their catenate tubers, their wide, glabrous leaf-lobes, and the number of carpels, and Aconitum curvipilum by the fistulose stem.