HELLEBORE. 



HELLEBORE. Helleborus. 



Natural Order Multisiliquce. — Ranuiiculacece, J uss. A 

 Genus of the Polyandria Polygyria Class. 



L'Ellebore est la fleur des fous, 

 On la dedie a maint poete. 



Few plants have been more celebrated by the phy- 

 sicians of antiquity than the Hellebore, and hence 

 it made a conspicuous figure in the poetical fables 

 of early writers ; but it seems to have been so en- 

 tirely neglected by the bards of our own country 

 as to leave this chapter without an English verse at 

 the head.. 



The Black Hellebore, Helleborus niger, demands 

 our admiration, both from the early season of its 

 flowering, and the beauty of its blossom. It is ge- 

 nerally called the Christmas Rose, because it fre- 

 quently expands its petals at that season, which, 

 having a resemblance to the common Dog Rose of 

 our hedges, has gained it this name. Our caution 

 is equally demanded against the whole of the Hel- 

 lebore family of plants, on account of the dangerous 

 properties of their roots and leaves, which are 

 known to possess a most virulent poison. 



