LXV. 



VERATRUM ALBUM 



White-flowered Veratrum, or Wldte Hellebore. 



Synonyms. — Helleborus albus flore subviridi, Pauh. liiv., 186. Helleborus 

 albus vulgaris, Parle. Theat., 217. Helleborus prsccox, Ger. Pm., 440. Elleborum 

 album, Math. Yulgr, vol. ii. p. 559. Veratrum flore subviridi, Tourn. Inst., 272. 

 Veratrum spica panieulata floribus maritus et feminis, n. 1204; Hall Hist., vol. 

 ii. t. 96. Veratrum album, Linn. Sp. PL, 1479 j Willd., vol. iv. p. 895 ; Flor. 

 Ban., t. 1121 ; Woodv., t. 100. 



Foreign Names. — JFV. ; Hellebore blanc, h, fleur pale. ItaL : Elleboro bianco. 

 Span.: Verdegambra bianco. Port.: Helleboro branco. Germ.: Die weisse 

 Kieswurzel, Nieswurz. Dut. : Nieswortel. Swed. : Hvit frustrot. Euss. : Tshe- 

 meritza. 



Nat. Order, Coronary, Linn.; Junci,Ju$$.; Melanthaceje, 

 Brown; Colchicace^, Be Cand.— Polygamic, Moncecia. 



Gen. Char.— Flowers polygamous. Perianth six-parted. Segments 

 broad, concave, imbricated, nearly equal, striated, not excavated at the 

 base. Stamens six, equal, inserted into the base of the segments. Fila- 

 ments subulate. Anthers reniform, with confluent cells. Ovary with 

 three divaricating stigmas. Capsule three-horned, separating into three, 

 many-seeded follicles. Seeds compressed, winged at the apex (Lind- 



ley). 

 Spec. Char.— Panicle decompound. Bracts equalling the flowers. Pedi- 

 cels pubescent. Segments of the perianth somewhat erect, 

 serrulate. Leaves ovate-oblong, plaited (Sprengel). 



obtuse 



H 



Exksp 



Theophrastus, Dioscorides, etc. Dr. Francis Adams (Append, 

 to Dunbar's Greek and Engl. Lex.), the best authority on the 

 history of the plants used by the ancients, has the following 

 remarks: "Modern authorities on botany differ widely in 



Fig. 1. Germen, style, stigma, and stamens. 2. The stamens. 3. A single anther. 



