Roots

Aconitum is a perennial with a tuberous root system. It consists of a conical tap root that is usually no more than 2 cm in diameter at its thickest point, and about 10 cm long. Each year a rhizome is produced from a lateral bud in the parent tuber, and a new tuber is formed which will have the bud for the next years plant. Often another stem tuber is produced in the late winter or early spring producing two new plants the next season (Culbreth 1927).

http://7song.com/photo?photo=240&q=Category:%20Medicinal&l=Aconitum-columbianum&g=Ranunculaceae 

Aconitum delphinifolium has a symbiotic relationship with vesicular arbuscular myccorrhizae which helps in the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil (Treu et al. 1995). The roots of Aconitum have the highest levels of the alkaloid aconitine, and are used in eastern medicine as a remedy for multiple conditions. However, the level of toxicity varies between species, and accidental poisoning is not uncommon (Chemistry 2014). 

Works Cited

7 song. "Monkshood." Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. June 13, 2006. http://7song.com/photo?photo=240&q=Category:%20Medicinal&l=Aconitum-columbianum&g=Ranunculaceae (accessed February 26, 2014).

Chemistry, American Association for Clinical. Monkshood. 2014. https://www.aacc.org/members/divisions/tdm/library/Pages/feb09-toxin.aspx (accessed February 26, 2014).

Culbreth, David. A Manual of Materia Medica and Pharmacology. Lea Brothers & Co., 1927.

Treu, R., G. Laursen, S. Stephenson, J. Landolt, and R. Densmore. "Mycorrhizae from Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska." Mycorrhiza, 1995: 21-29.