Aconitum lycoctonum

Fox monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum subsp vulparia )

The wolf monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum ), also Wolfsbane, or - depending on the subspecies - called Fox monkshood, is a species of the genus (Aconitum ).

Only regionally common the trivial names Gaelic are fox wort ( Bern ), Yellow Gelstern (Ziller Valley), dogbane, dogbane, dunce caps, Wolfseisenhütli (Bern), wolfsbane, Wolf Wurz ( Austria, Pinzgau, Carinthia ) and White Wolf root (Pinzgau ).

Description

The wolf wolfsbane grow as a perennial herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth from 50 to 150 centimeters. It has an erect stem. The leaves are deeply palmately five to seven parts with rough sawn sections.

The flowering period extends from June to August. The flowers are borne in a loose to dense, racemose inflorescence. The hermaphrodite, zygomorphic flowers are pale yellow. The helmet is about twice as long as wide. Among them are two nectar leaves which are rolled spirally. Since the nectar leaves are about 2 inches long, only langrüsselige bumblebees can reach the nectar.

The wolf Eisenhut is like all Aconitum species very toxic.

Occurrence

The Wolf aconite occurs in southern and central Europe and in Asia.

In Germany, the wolf monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. Lycoctonum ) to find scattered in the central and southern part. It is missing in northern Germany and partly in Saxony. The fox - monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum ssp. Vulparia ) is known only from the Berchtesgaden Alps. In Austria both subspecies often come up scattered from collinen prior to the alpine area.

The wolf wolfsbane grow on moist, fertile, humus-rich soils in lowland forests, tall herb and Karfluren and wet meadows.

System

In Europe, there are five subspecies:

• Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. lasiostomum ( Rchb. ) Warncke; occurs only in Romania, the Baltic States, Ukraine and Western Russia
• Wolf monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum subsp lycoctonum. ) - With crooked hairy stalks; occurs in Central, North and North-Eastern Europe and in Asia
• Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. moldavicum ( Hacq. ) Jalas: only comes in the vicinity prior to the Carpathians in Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the Western Ukraine and Western Russia
• Aconitum lycocotonum subsp. neapolitanum ( Ten. ) Nyman, occurs only in southern and central Europe, but absent in Germany
• Fox monkshood ( Aconitum lycoctonum subsp vulparia - formerly A. vulparia. ) - With just - projecting hairy stalks; comes only in Central and Southern Europe in the north of the Pyrenees to the Carpathians ago

• Leaves
• A. lycoctonum ssp. lycoctonum ( flower)
• A. lycoctonum ssp. vulparia ( flower)

Mythology and Drug

The wolf Eisenhut is, according to ancient Greek myth, have originated from the drool of Cerberus Kerberos. In Indo-European culture presented the wolf Eisenhut a Luppewurz ( celtic lubi, Old High German luppi = deadly juice / poison / magic ) Represents the epithet lycoctonum (Greek Wolftöter ) refers to the former use as a poison for wolf bait. The psychoactive effects contained by the diterpene alkaloids used the labeled as witches herbs women in the Middle Ages. This mixed with some aconite seeds known as the flight or witches ointment balsamic herbal preparation of various nightshade family ( Solanaceae ), which could hallucinate the consumer a state of mental displacement, a visual flight. Exact formulas are not known. There is a cultural anthropological view by a direct, historical connection between the fairytale illustration of the flying witch and the historical accounts of the spiritual flights.