Colorado Plants Tnji’rtoi’S to^Livlistock ^5 
^ WHITE HELLEBORE, FALSE HELLEBORE 
(Veratniui spccicstim) 
This perennial (lig. 17), from a thick rootstock, grows from 2 to 
7 feet high. The leaves are large, broad, and bear prominent veins, 
running parallel. The inflorescence may be over a foot long. The 
branches of the inflorescence are directed upward, and each has a 
long, narrow leaf at its juncture with the main stem. The inflores¬ 
cence is covered with soft, white hairs. The flowers are whitish, each 
has 3 sepals, 3 petals, 6 stamens and a single pistil. The plant is not 
abundant in Colorado. It has been observed in a few localities, 
chiefly in the western half of the state. It occurs from 6,500 to 
12.500 feet altitude. It prefers moist soil, such as is found along 
streams and in meadows. 
Poisoning by zvhite hellebore. —The swamp hellebore is not rel¬ 
ished by animals, since it is acrid and bitter, but some cases of 
poisoning are reported. The seeds have been eaten by chickens with 
fatal results and a case is reported by Prof. Chestnut in which all of 
the members of a household were poisoned by eating the young leaves, 
mistaking them for marsh marigold. The root is said to have been 
used by the Indians in making snuff. 
Symptoms. —Several poisonous substances are found in hellebore. 
Veratrin, which may be separated into several poisonous bases, causes 
extreme depression of the heart and respiration and general paralysis. 
The poisoned animal is first seen drooling saliva, vomiting or attempt¬ 
ing to vomit, with colicy pains, shallow breathing'; the skin becomes 
cold and clammy and there are muscular tremors and in fatal cases 
the animal dies in convulsions. 
Treatment. —This consists in giving tannic acid as a chemical 
antidote with alcohol, strychnin and atropin to support the heart and 
respiration. Raw linseed oil may be given to relieve the local irri¬ 
tation and laudinum or morphine to relieve the pain. 
SCRUB OAK (Querens) 
There are a number of species of scrub oak in Colorado. They 
are all small trees or shrubs, their common height being 10 to 15 feet. 
As a rule they grow in rather dense clumps. Scrub oak in Colorado 
is found in the foothills and mountains of the western slope, and as 
far north on the eastern slope as an east-west line about midway be¬ 
tween Castle Rock and Denver. 
Scrub oak is considered poisonous by many stockmen. They will 
take the pains to keep their stock from the oak thicket. It is very 
likelv that most cases of poisoning resulting from cattle grazing i’* 
scrub oak thickets are due to larkspur which grows therein. 
GREASEWOOD (Sarcobatiis z^ermicnlatiis) 
The common greasewood of the West is a shrub, 2 to 8 feet 
high. Its numerous branches are very stiff and rigid, and frequently 
somewhat spiny; the bark is smooth and white. The leaves are thick. 
