IRRITANT POISONS 39 



HELLEBORUS FCETIDUS (British). 71. 



STINKING HELLEBORE — SETTER WORT — BEAR's FOOT — BAR 

 FOOT — OX HEEL. 



JRanunculacece. — Stem many flowered. — Calyx converging. 

 — Leaves pedate. — Woods; 1 ft.; perennial; January- April; 

 green, tipped with purple. 



Toxic Principles.— JERVJNE, HELLEBORIN. 



Belle of the forest : everywhere she dips 

 And dances prettily, and pouts her lips. 



Anon.: '' The Dryad.'' 



HELLEBORUS NIGER [Cultivated in Britain). 72. 



CHRISTMAS ROSE — BLACK HELLEBORE — BEAR's FOOT — 



Christ's wort. 



Ranunculacece. — Rhizome black; knotted; fleshy; with 

 many interlaced branches giving off numerous, straight roots. 

 — Leaves from extremities of rhizome branches; on long 

 stalks; deeply divided into 2-4, serrate lobes, successively 

 smaller towards the petiole. — Flower-stalk terminating 

 rhizome ; rarely 2 ; large bract beneath flower ; sepals 5, large ; 

 petals 13, or more, short, green. — Stamens numerous. — Fruit 

 follicular; sessile. — Seeds in 2 rows; black. — perennial; 

 December-March; white. {Fatalities.) 



ToxicPrinciples.—JERVDUE, HELLEBORIN, also contained 

 in H. orientalis. 



Then rejoiced she, laughing with love ; and scattered 

 Roses, awful roses of holy blossom. 



Swinbtjkne: " Sapphics.'^ 



