露蕊乌头 lu rui wu tou

Aconitum gymnandrum f. leucanthum W. T. Wang.

Herbs annual. Roots subterete, 5--14 cm, 1.5--4.5 mm in diam. Stem (6--)25--55(--100) cm, usually branched, sparsely or densely pubescent, basally sometimes becoming glabrous, with leaves equally arranged along stem. Basal leaves 1--3(--6), and most proximal cauline leaves usually withered at anthesis, proximal cauline leaves long petiolate; petiole 4--7 cm, distal leaves shortly petiolate; petiole 1--5 cm, base narrowly sheathed; leaf blade broadly ovate or triangular-ovate, 3.5--6.4 × ca. 4.5 cm, abaxially sparsely villous or glabrescent at veins, adax-ially sparsely appressed pubescent, 3-sect; segments 2- to 3-pinnately parted; ultimate lobes narrowly ovate to narrowly lanceolate. Inflorescence 6--16-flowered; rachis and pedicels pubescent; basal bracts leaflike, other proximal ones 3-fid, those above middle lanceolate to linear. Pedicels 1--5(--9) cm, with 2 bracteoles at distal part or at apex, leaflike to linear, 0.5--15 cm. Sepals blue-purple, rarely white, abaxially sparsely pubescent, long clawed; lower sepals ca. 1.2 cm; lateral sepals 1.5--1.8 cm; upper sepal navicular, ca. 1.8 cm, clawed. Petals pubescent; spur headlike, short, sparsely pubescent. Stamens sparsely pubescent; filaments entire. Carpels 6--13, pubescent. Follicles 0.8--1.2 cm. Seeds obovate-globose, ca. 1.5 mm. Fl. Jun--Aug. 2n = 16*.

* Grassy slopes, grasslands, by streams; 500--3800 m. S Gansu, Qinghai, W Sichuan, Xizang, ?Yunnan.