Ranunculacee—Helleborus. 15 
3. H. viridis.—A dwarfer plant, with digitately 5- to 7-folio- 
late leaves; leaflets narrow, serrated. In the ordinary form 
the flowers are green, but there are several varieties differing 
Fig. 12. Helleborus niger. (} nat. size.) 
in the size and colour of the flowers, amongst whieh we may 
mention atropurpireus, bearing large purplish red flowers. 
There are two or three other species in cultivation: as, 
HT. Célchicws, having large panicles of red flowers in March ; 
Hf. fetidus, with greenish flowers tinted with dull purple ; 
ff, lividus, 2 to 3 feet high, with ternate leaves and bracteate 
racemes of livid flowers, ete. H. atrori:bens is a fine variety 
of hybrid origin. 
10. NIGELLA. 
Erect annuals with alternate finely dissected compound 
leaves. Flowers solitary, terminal, yellow, blue, or white, sur- 
rounded by a finely divided leafy involucre in some: species. 
Sepals 5, regular, petaloid. Petals small, bifid. Carpels 3 to 
10, more or less combined. Natives of the Mediterranean 
region. The name is said to be derived from niger, black, in 
allusion to the colour of the seeds. 
1. N.dumascéna. Devil-in-a-Bush, Love-in-a-Mist.-—Atout 
2 feet high, with finely-cut leaves and pale blue flowers en- 
circled by a leafy involucre, 
2. N. Hispadnica.—With larger white, lilac, or dark purple 
flowers, and no involucre. Both flower in Summer. 
