Systematic Studies of Asian Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) XII. Aconitum soyaense, a New Species of Subgenus Lycoctonum from Hokkaido, Northern Japan

Abstract

Aconitum soyaense, a new species of subgenus Lycoctonum of the genus Aconitum is here described from Hokkaido, northern Japan. Aconitum soyaense is distinguished from A. gigas H. Lev. & Vaniot and A. umbrosum (Korsh.) Kom. by having sepals and carpels hirsute with smooth-surfaced hairs, rounded conical, short-beaked helmets, elongated divaricate branches, smaller seeds, larger nectary blades and leaf blades sericeous with long, smooth-surfaced appressed hairs. Aconitum soyaense is restricted to the serpentine area in northern Hokkaido and is considered to be a serpentinophyte.