xcv. 



HELLEBORUS NIGER. 



Black Hellebore, or Christmas Rose. 



Class XIII. PoLYANDRiA. — Order III. Polygynia. 



Nat. Ord. RANUNCULACE.E. 



Gen. Char. Calyx of five persistent leaves. Petals 

 eight to ten, small, tubular, two-lipped, nectariferous. 

 Pericarps ox follicles nearly erect, many-seeded. 



Spec. Char. Radical leaves pedate, very smooth. Scape 

 leafless, one or two flowered, bracteate. 



SYNONYMES. 



f HeUeborus niger flore roseo. Bauli. Pin. 186. 



I HeUeborus niger verus. Ger. Em. Q^Q. Rail Hut. 697- Park. 

 r ,. J Theatr. 212. 



I Veratrum nigrum. Dod. Pempt. 385. 



I HeUeborus niger. Lin. Sp. PI. 783. Curi. Bot. Mag. t. 8. 



^ Dec. Syst. i. p. 310. 

 French. . . . EUebore noir ; Hellebore noir ; Rose de Noel. 

 Kalian .... Elleboro nero. 



Spanish . . . Eleboro negro ; Yerba de Ballestero. 

 German... Schwarze Nieswurz ; Schneerose; Christwnrz. 

 Dutch .... Nieskruid ; Maankruid ; Herssenkruid. 

 Danish . , . Short Nyserod. 

 Swedish..., Swart Prustort. 

 Bohemian. . EUebor cerny ; Cerna cemerice. 



Polish Czarna ciemerzyca. 



Persian.... Kherbecksiya. 

 Hindoosianie Kali koothie. 

 Tamool.... Kadagaroganie. 

 Arabic .... Kherbekaswed. 



Description. — The root consists of numerous thick, fleshy, 

 descending fibres^ proceeding from a large, transverse, knotted 

 stock, externally nearly black, internally yellowish, shootmg up 



D D 2 



