Azure Monkshood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Azure Monkshood
• Fischer monkshood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Aconitum lubarskyi var. fischeri
• Aconitum lubanskyi
• Aconitum abbreviatum
• Aconitum fischeri var. brachylobum
• Aconitum sinense

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Aconitum fischeri, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Ranunculales. Finally, it is a member of the family Ranunculaceae and the genus Aconitum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution primarily concentrated within the Russian Far East. It can be found growing across several key regions, including Kamchatka and Khabarovsk. Furthermore, its habitat extends to the coastal areas of Sakhalin and the Primorye region. Beyond the borders of Russia, the species also inhabits parts of China. Specifically, its range reaches into the Inner Mongolia territory.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Aconitum fischeri is characterized by its specific preference for diverse montane environments, ranging from established forests to cut-over forest areas and broader mountain landscapes. This species occupies a defined altitudinal niche, typically found at elevations starting from a minimum of 420 m AMSL. Within its geographical distribution, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 610 m AMSL, reaching an upper limit of 800 m AMSL. Its ability to persist in both undisturbed forests and more disturbed, cut-over forest habitats suggests a level of adaptability to varying light conditions and successional stages within these mountain ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

610 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

420 m AMSL

Habitat :

cut-over forest, forest, mountains

Life history

The life history of Aconitum fischeri is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, meaning it survives for multiple years through successive growing seasons. As a perennial, the plant does not complete its entire biological cycle in a single year but instead establishes a robust root system that allows it to endure dormant periods before emerging again to flower and produce seeds. This multi-year life cycle enables the species to invest significant energy into underground storage structures, facilitating regrowth and long-term persistence within its ecological niche. Through its perennial nature, Aconitum fischeri can participate in repeated reproductive cycles over time, contributing to the stability of its population in its natural habitat.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Aconitum fischeri is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, functioning as a self-supporting plant without the need for climbing structures. As a herbaceous species, it exhibits a non-woody structure throughout its development. The plant's stature varies significantly depending on environmental conditions, with heights ranging from a minimum of 0.01 m to a maximum of 1.6 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.013 m.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

1.6 m

Plant height mean:

0.013 m

Plant height min:

0.01 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Aconitum fischeri is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions of its foliage, which play a critical role in its photosynthetic capacity and environmental adaptation. The leaf structure exhibits significant variability in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 8 cm to a maximum of 12 cm, maintaining an average length of approximately 10 cm. Complementing this, the leaf width demonstrates a broad physiological range, spanning from a minimum of 12 cm to a maximum of 15 cm, with a calculated mean width of 13.5 cm. These dimensions suggest a robust surface area optimized for light interception within its specific ecological niche.

Leaf length max:

12 cm

Leaf length mean:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf width max:

15 cm

Leaf width mean:

13.5 cm

Leaf width min:

12 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Aconitum fischeri is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering window and the development of distinct fruit structures. The plant enters its flowering phase in July and continues through to September, though the timing can be variable depending on environmental conditions. Following pollination, the plant produces fruits that exhibit significant morphological variation in size. These fruits range in length from a minimum of 0.25 cm to a maximum of 1.4 cm, with the average fruit length measuring approximately 0.825 cm.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

1.4 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.825 cm

Fruit length min:

0.25 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Aconitum fischeri has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Chemicals

Aconitum fischeri has 43 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include aconitine, Hypaconitine, 1,14-Diacetylneoline, 12-epidehydronapelline, 14-Acetylneoline.

aconitine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
5. Laeknabladid

Hypaconitine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

1,14-Diacetylneoline

1. Dr. Duke

12-epidehydronapelline

1. Dr. Duke

14-Acetylneoline

1. Dr. Duke

6-Keto-PGF1alpha

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

ACONITIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke

Aconine

1. Dr. Duke

Aconosine

1. Dr. Duke

Benzaconine

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Aconitum fischeri has 238 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include (+)-Inotropic, Abortifacient, Absorbent, Acaricide, Additive.

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Additive

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenergic

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Amylase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations