12 
corolla. The calyx consists of five to eight oblong 
blunt sepals, so very membranaceous and deeply co- 
Joured that they assume the characters more usual 
in a corolla ; they are caducous, which is not the 
case with the sepals of the true Hellébores, under 
which genus the présent plant was formerly classed. 
The corolla consists of a whorl of six to eight little 
tubular petals. The stamens are numerous, and the 
pistils about five or six in number, and consequently 
not strictly agreeing with the character of the artifi- 
cial order under which the plant is classed. These 
latter become stalked follicular seed vessels, each with 
a few seeds attached along the inner . edge. Grows 
in many parts of the continent of Europe, but is 
not native with us.—Acrid, poisonous. 
