RANUNCULACEiE. 



85 



for the active properties of some of its species. These differ from those of 

 most of the Ranunculacese, in not being dependent on an acrid, volatile prin- 

 ciple, which is most powerful when the plants are in a fresh state. In the 

 Helleborus they depend on a permanent resinous substance, which although 

 somewhat impaired in energy by drying, is not destroyed. None of these 

 plants are indigenous to North America, but are to be met with in gardens; 

 being cultivated on account of the beauty and early appearance of their 

 flowers. Two species are officinal in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, the H. niger 

 and H.fatidus. 



H. nigkr. — Linn. — Leaves radical, pedate. Scapes radical, one or two-flowered. Bracts 

 ovate. 



Linn. Sp. PI. 783 ; Woodville, Med. Bot. t. 169 ; Steph. & Church. Med. 

 Bot. i. 11 ; Lindley, Flor. Med. 6. 



Common names. — Hellebore, Black Hellebore, Christmas rose. 



Foreign names. — H. 

 a fleurs roses, Rose de Rg.5i. 



Noel, Fr. Schwartze 

 Neiswurz, Gr. Elle- 

 boro nero, Erba nocca, 

 It. 



Description. — Root hori- 

 zontal, externally blackish, 

 rough, with numerous 

 fleshy fibres about the size 

 of a quill. Leaves large, 

 radical, on long petioles, 

 variously divided into leaf- 

 lets which are coriaceous, 

 shining and serrate at their 

 upper extremity. Flowers 

 on scapes having bracts 

 near the flowers. The pe- 

 taloid calyx consists of five 

 large, concave sepals, at 

 first of a white colour, then 

 becoming of a rose red, 

 and finally changing to a 

 green. The petals are tu- 

 bular and two-lipped, of 

 greenish-yellow colour. 

 The stamens are very nu- 

 merous and support yellow 

 anthers. The ovaries are 

 from six to eight in num- 

 ber, surmounted by a some- 

 what curved pistil. The 

 capsules contain many 

 black, shining seeds. 



The Black Hellebore, 

 so called from the co- 

 lour of its roots, is a 

 native of mountain 

 woods in many parts 

 of Europe, and is cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant. In France 



H. niger. 



