360804 Aconitum delphinifolium subsp. delphinifolium] DC.
Distribution
East Chukotka: Rare
Western Alaska: Frequent
Northern Alaska - Yukon: Frequent
Shrub Tundra: Scattered
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Frequent
- DC., Syst. Nat. 1: 380 (1817). Described from Sledge Island near Nome on the Seward Peninsula (Alaska).
2n=
16 (2x). - Far East (N), Canada (W). - Taylor and Mulligan (1968); Zhukova (1982).
Geography: Asian (NE) - amphi-Beringian - Cordilleran: RFE ALA CAN.
Notes: Murray and Elven: Aconitum delphinifolium is polymorphic and treatments differ. Yurtsev (PAF proposal) accepted three subspecies. Calder and Taylor (1968) and Welsh (1974) argued for no recognition of subspecific taxa in North America, a view followed by Brink and Woods (1997). We accept the non-arctic Pacific American subsp. chamissonianum as a major geographical race. We are more reluctant to accept the low-grown plants with few to one flowers (var./subsp. paradoxum) as we at least on the American side find transitions to A. delphinifolium s. str., often within populations. Yurtsev recognized subsp. paradoxum based on morphological and ecological differences from A. delphinifolium s. str. (which is rare on the Chukchi Peninsula). We include var. paradoxum provisionally as a comparatively local, amphi-Beringian variety with few diagnostic characters.