Aconitum sinoaxillare W. T. Wang

Flowering in August.

Aconitum sinoaxillare is occurring in E Xizang of China.

Nuclear ITS sequence data were used to investigate phylogenetic relationships within Aconitum subgenus Aconitum (Luo et al., 2005). Results indicated that species from northern China show relatively close relationships with those from Europe, North America, Japan and Korea of eastern Asia. High morphological variation but low genetic diversity found in species from the Hengduan Mountains region probably indicates a recent radiation. ITS topology is congruent well with the subgrouping of the subgenus Aconitum based on the morphology of seeds and of petals, suggesting that seed and petal morphology may reflect well the phylogenetic relationships within the subgenus.

Caudex subterete, ca. 5 cm tall, ca. 6 mm in diameter. Stem ca. 80 cm, simple, sparsely spreading white pubescent, apically becoming glabrous. Basal leaves and proximal cauline leaves long petiolate, withered at anthesis; petiole 2-3 cm, spreading pubescent; leaf blade pentagonal, 4-4.8 cm long, 6-7 cm wide, both surfaces glabrous, 3-parted nearly to 6 cm from base, central lobe rhombic, apex acuminate; lateral lobes obliquely flabellate, unequally 2-fid nearly to middle. Flower solitary, axillary, 1.5-1.8 cm; rachis and proximal pedicels sparsely spreading pubescent, apically glabrous; bracts leaflike. Pedicels arciform-curved, 4.5-7 cm, with 2 bracteoles at middle; bracteoles leaflike, shortly stalked, 1.5-1.8 cm long, 1.2-1.7 cm wide, glabrous. Sepals purple, abaxially glabrous, margin sparsely pubescent; lower sepals ca. 0.8 cm; lateral sepals ca. 0.8 cm; upper sepal navicular-galeate, 1-1.2 cm high, 0.8-1.2 cm from base to beak, lower margin oblique upward, slightly concave. Petals glabrous, ca. 8 mm; claw ca. 3.5 mm; lip ca. 2 mm, slightly concave; spur incurved, ca. 1 mm. Stamens glabrous; filaments entire or indistinctly 2-denticulate. Carpels 3, glabrous.

Growing in mountains; ca. 4000 m.