nearly to the base, segments 5-9, narrow, pinnately lobed, often toothed; stem-leaves few, shortly stalked, upper sessile, more or less deeply 3-lobed, lobes narrow, mostly entire. Flowers few, scattered, 1 - 112 in. long, spur cylindric, nearly straight. Sepals spreading, varying from deep-blue to faded grey. Petals blue, the lateral ones 2-lobed, hairy (Collett). Anterior petals deeply 2-fid, hairy on both surfaces. Follicles 3, inflated, glabrous or sparsely hairy. (Hk. f. and Thoms.).
Use:—The root is used in Bashahr for toothache and also as an adulterant for aconite (Stewart).
An alkaloid, introduced into commerce under the name of delphocurarine (Merck) has been extracted from the roots of a number of Delphiniums by means of an 80 per cent. solution of alcohol containing tartaric acid. Delphocurarine consists, in reality, of a mixture of bases, and behaves physiologically like curare (compare Lohmann, Pflüger's Archiv 1902, XCII, 398). It forms a white, amorphous powder which has a very bitter taste and an alkaline reaction, and is readily soluble in dilute acids. A small quantity of crystalline compound, C23H33O7N, has been isolated from delphocurarine by means of ether and a mixture of light petroleum; it crystallises in needles, melts at 184°-185°, is rather readily soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, or benzene, but only sparingly so in light petroleum, and contains 18 per cent. of methoxyl. The platinum and gold salts form pale reddish yellow powders, the former containing Pt. 13·69 percent, and the latter Au 23·29.
J. Ch. S. 1903, AI. 650.
10. D. cæruleum, Jacq. h.f.br.i., I. 25.
Vern.:—Dakhanga (Pb.).
Habitat:—Alpine Himalaya, from Kumaon to Sikkim.
An erect herb. Stem 3-12 in., much-branched from the base, leafy, spreading. Leaves suborbicular, 114 - 112 in. diam., 5-7 lobed, lobes cuncate—oblong, incised or pinnatifid, segments linear. Radical leaves divided to the base. Flowers solitary in long branches or few in a loose raceme, pale blue, hairy. Sepals shorter than the nearly straight spur. Spur subulate. Anterior petals obovate or obcordate, a little hairy. Follicles 5, hairy.
Use:—The root is applied to kill the maggots in the wounds of goats. (Stewart.)
11. D. Brunoinanum, Royle. h.f.br.i., I. 27.
Vern.:—Nepari (Kumaon); Kasturi (Garhwal); Sapfulu
