aconitate

[ACONITUM.] A chemical compound formed with aconitic acid and a base, as calcium aconitate, magnesium aconi tate. ac-on-ite, s. [Lat. aconitum (q.v.).] 1. A name of the common Blue Monk's hood (Aconitum napellus). It occurs wild in Carinthia and Carniola, and, having long been cultivated in British gardens, has escaped and become naturalised in England. It is a very poisonous plant, the root being especially dangerous. When the leaves and flowers have died away, the root, or root-stock, has sometimes been mistaken for that of horse-radish, and has been eaten with fatal results. The root is of tapering form, and when old is dark brown outside and white inside, whilst the young ones are much paler. Its taste is bitter at first, after which there is a numbne and tingling of the lips and tongue. The root stock of the horse-radish ( Cochlear i a am a race a ) is much larger than that of the aconite, and does not taper. Externally it is of a dirty yellow colour, and marked at the top by transverse scars, left behind by the leaves. Its taste is at first acrid or pungent, not bitter. [ACONITUM.] 2. Le properly ( among some gardeners, and popularly): The Eranthis nival is , a plant of the order Ranunculaceæ, the same one as that to which the proper aconite belongs. Winter - aconite = Eranthis nival is . [See ACONITE, 2.]