Aconitum

[P. Kohn]

Help please. Record-keeping has broken down and label has vanished on an interesting Aconitum in the garden. Collected seed but no name to go with. I'll try to post picture of leaf (didn't take an image of the flowers).  Leaf has only modest points on each lobe - roughly ninety degrees and although there is a cuttwo-thirds of the way to the base between each lobe it is not apparent on a cursory examination so the leaf is much more of a slightly pointed tectangullar block and not the usual obviously palmate form for the genus. The flowers were pale purple, not unlike those of A. alboviolaceum and were earlier than some of other aconites. Does anyone have any ideas or know of a good reference source ? Images of A. loczyanum flowers fit quite well with what I remember of the flower but can't find a good image of the leaves and Crug imply that Loczyanum is a climber but our plant is not.

[Gabriela]

I am not familiar with Aconitum of Asian origin but generally speaking the leaves can be variable in within a species or basal/leaves on the flower stems. So, just with one leaf image it would be just a guess from anyone. Also, proper ID of Aconitum is not possible without flowers.

This being said, for Japanese species you may try to have a look here:
Database of Japanese Flora - http://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/florajapan

[sokol]

Pictures of Aconitum moldavicum that is growing very well here.

[Gabriela]

Thank you Stefan - beautiful pictures of A. moldavicum

And to make another point regarding identification for Aconitum species - the seeds are also useful in confirming the species, at least in some cases. They differ in size, shape and the surface can present with wrinkles, grooves, wings, scales or ridges.
I will post more pictures in the right thread, just one here to complete the A. moldavicum identification: