23 



SMOOTH CAMAS {Zygadenus chloranthus Rich.) Lily Family. 



(Anticlea elegans [Pursh] Rydb.) 



Plate VIII. 



Common Names: Smooth camas is also known by other common 

 names, the most familiar being swamp-camas, cow-grass, green lily. 



Description: It is a much more attractive plant than the death 

 camas. It grows to a height of one to three feet, with much larger flowers 

 and leaves. The leaves, stalks, and bracts are of a whitish-green colour, 

 the bracts sometimes tinged with red or purple. The flowers are greenish 

 white or cream coloured, from one-half inch to nearly one inch broad. 

 The perianth leaves are six, each with a large, green, heart-shaped gland 

 at the base. The stamens are B^ six, their stalks erect about the ovary 

 and the three stigmas. The flowers are in bloom about two weeks later 

 than death camas. 



Distribution: Smooth camas is more confined to wet ground and 

 calcareous soils. It is widely distributed, occurring from New Brunswick 

 and Quebec to Manitoba and westward to British Columbia and the 

 Yukon. 



Animals Affected: Apparently all species of zygadenus are poison- 

 ous to animals, and contain the same poisonous alkaloid zygadenine. There 

 is not, however, the same likelihood of serious loss among sheep, as smooth 

 camas does not grow so abundantly in any one area and its period of 

 growth is somewhat later in the season, when other herbage is prevalent 

 and more tempting. 



Human Poisoning: According to Marsh and Clawson, cases of 

 poisoning have occurred among children who have eaten the bulbs in 

 mistake for those of the edible camas, i. e. species of Calochortus and 

 Camassia. 



FALSE HELLEBORE (Veratrum viride Ait.) Lily Family. 

 Plate VII. Fig. A. (See facing p. 20.) 



Common Names: Veratrum is commonly known as American white 

 hellebore, Indian poke, deviFs-bite, crow-poison, itchweed, and iswamp- 

 hellebore. 



Description: False hellebore is a tall coarse perennial plant, from a 

 foot and a half to eight feet in height. The stem grows from a short, thick, 

 erect rootstock, and is leafy^ to the top. The leaves are broadly oval, 

 plaited, strongly parallel-veined, entire, pointed, sheathing at tho base, 

 smooth on top, hairy beneath, six to twelve inches long, three to six inches 

 broad, the upper becoming smaller and narrower. The inflorescence is a 

 compound panicle from eight inches to two feet in length, the lower 

 branches spreading or somewhat drooping. The numerous flowers are of 



63463— 3i 



