CHAP. I.] THE GENUS HELLEBORUS. 25 



any resemblance to what is generally understood 

 by that word. On the contrary, the showy part 

 of the Atragene is still only a coloured calyx ; 

 while the petals are oblong, leaf-like bodies in 

 the centre of the flower, which look like dilated 

 stamens. In other respects the two genera are 

 scarcely to be distinguished from each other. 



THE GENUS HELLEBORUS, &C. 



The Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) bears 

 considerable resemblance in the construction of 

 its flowers to the Atragene, for it has a showy 

 calyx, and narrow oblong petals, encircling the 

 stamens in the centre of the flower. The calyx 

 of the Christmas rose is white, delicately tinged 

 with pink, and the petals are green. The 

 carpels are erect and long, swelling out at the 

 base, and each ends in a curved style with a 

 pointed stigma. The Christmas rose takes its 

 specific name of niger (black) from the root, 

 which is covered with a thick black skin. The 

 common Hellebore takes its name of H. inridis, 

 from its flowers, w^hich are green. The carpels 

 of this plant frequently grow slightly together, 

 and their styles curve inwardly. 



The British species of Hellebore have no in- 

 volucre, and the Christmas rose has only two 

 bracts or floral leaves, which form a calyx-like 

 covering to the bud ; but the little yellow 



