Aconitum napellus
Aconitum napellus
Safety & Hazards
The whole plant is highly toxic, acting especially on the nerve centres. At first it stimulates the central and peripheral nervous system and then paralyzes it. Other symptoms of poisoning include a burning sensation on the tongue, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea. Simple skin contact with the plant has caused numbness in some people[ 4 Title A Modern Herbal. Publication Author Grieve. Publisher Penguin Year 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 Description Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants. , 7 Title Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Chiej. R. Publisher MacDonald Year 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 Description Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs. , 9 Title Edible and Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Launert. E. Publisher Hamlyn Year 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2 Description Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information. , 10 Title Poisonous Plants and Animals. Publication Author Altmann. H. Publisher Chatto and Windus Year 1980 ISBN 0-7011-2526-8 Description A small book, reasonable but not very detailed. , 14 Title Complete Guide to Herbs. Publication Author Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Publisher Rodale Press Year 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7 Description A good herbal. , 19 Title Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Stary. F. Publisher Hamlyn Year 1983 ISBN 0-600-35666-3 Description Not very comprehensive, but easy reading. , 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. , 76 Title Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. Publication Author Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Publisher HMSO Year 1984 ISBN 0112425291 Description Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock. , 244 Title Herbs Publication Author Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Publisher Pan Books Ltd. London. Year 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8 Description Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant. ]. The root contains 90% more poison than the leaves[ 232 Title The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. Publication Author Castro. M. Publisher Macmillan. London. Year 1990 ISBN 0-333-55581-3 Description A concise beginner's guide to the subject. Very readable. ].
Botanical Description
Aconitum napellus is a herbaceous perennial plant producing an erect, very leafy stem up to 100cm tall[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. Although toxic, the plant has a long history of medicinal use and, although little used in modern western Herbalism, still finds a place in eastern herbal traditions. It is locally traded for medicinal use and is also grown as an ornamental. The plant has a widespread distribution, increasing populations and no known major threats. It is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].