63 
HELLEBORUS NIGER, 
Black Hellebore, or Christmas Rose.* 
Class PoLYANDRiA. — Order Polygynia. 
Nat. Ord. Multisiliqu^, Linn. Ranunculace^, Juss. 
Gen. Char. Calyx 0. Corolla petals 5 or 6. Nectaries 
equal in number to the petals. 
Spec. Char. Scape one or two-flowered, nearly naked. 
Leaves pedate. 
This species of Helleboref is a native of Austria, and Italy, 
growing wild on the Apptiiiues ; it was unknown in this country 
iintil the year 1596, when it was introduced and cultivated by Mr. 
John Gerarde, when the beauty of its flower, and the time of its 
appearance, soon obtained for it a place in most of the flower gar- 
dens ; for if the weather prove sufficiently mild it blossoms soon 
after Christmas, whence it has obtained the name of the Christ- 
mas rose. 
The root of this plant is perennial, and is composed of one short, 
thick stump, knotted, and externally of a black colour ; internally 
whitish ; sending off many strong, round fibres, crowned by a large 
cluster of lobed leaves, consisting each of seve;» or eight obtuse, 
fleshy lobes, united to one footstalk, and between the leaves, seve- 
ral thick fleshy flower-stalks, three or four inches high ; the flower- 
stalks stand erect, round and tapering, and towards the bottom are 
reddish ; the bracteal leaves supply the place of a calyx, and are 
oval, concave, and generally indented at the top ; the petals of the 
corolla are five or six, large, roundish, spreading, at first of a white 
colour, succeeded by reddish tints, and finally assuming a greenish 
appearance; the nectaries are generally equal in number to the 
petals, though sometime^ more; tubulated, somewhat compressed, 
bilabiated, and of a greenish >elluw colour ; by some botanists these 
are considered the petals ot the flower, and the corolla a calyx : 
the filaments are white; the antherae yellow ; the germens vary from 
* Fig. o. Thepistilla. b. A magnified stamen, c. A nectary magnified, 
t Eight species of the genus Helleborus are known and cultivated in oar various 
botanie gardens. Hort. Cant. 
