monkshood

ac·o·nite   (āk'ə-nīt')    n.   In both senses also called monkshood, wolfsbane. Any of various, usually poisonous perennial herbs of the genus Aconitum, having tuberous roots, palmately lobed leaves, blue or white flowers with large hoodlike upper sepals, and an aggregate of follicles. The dried leaves and roots of some of these plants, which yield a poisonous alkaloid that was formerly used medicinally. [French aconit, from Latin aconītum, from Greek akonīton, perhaps from neuter sing. of akonītos, without dust or struggle : a-, without; see a-1 + konis, dust.]

Main Entry: monks·hood
Pronunciation: 'm&[ng](k)s-"hud
Function: noun
: any plant of the genus Aconitum; especially : aEurasian herb (A. napellus) often cultivated for its showy white or purplish flowers that is extremely poisonous in all its parts —see ACONITE 2

monkshood

any of 100 or more species of showy, poisonous, perennial herbs of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). They occur in the North Temperate Zone, usually in partial shade and in rich soil. The roots are thick or tuberous and the leaves have fingerlike lobes. The hood-shaped flowers, borne mostly in spikelike clusters, are usually purple or blue, sometimes yellow or white. There are five sepals and two to five petals.

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