HELLEBORUS niger.
Reading edition
Black Hellebore or Christmas Rose.
Class and Order.—Polyandria Polygynia.
Syn. Helleborus niger. Curt. Bot. Mag. pl. 8.
Root tuberous—leaves radical, on long channelled petioles, pedate, lobes oblong, margins serrate near the apex—scape radical, simple,—flower terminal—calyx none—bracteas immediately under the flower, two, sessile—corolla white, slightly tinged with pale pink and yellowish green,—petals five, large, orbicular, margins undulate—nectaries green, tubular—stamens numerous—anthers compressed—styles many.
There are few flowers more welcome to us than the Helleborus niger, which enlivens our gardens in the dreary months of December and January. It is a native of the mountains of Austria, and was introduced into this country about the year 1596, by Mr. John Gerard; it derives its name from the dark color of its roots, and the common appellation of the Christmas Rose, arises from the peculiar season of its flowering; being an alpine plant it delights in a pure air, and it grows best in a moist situation and strong loamy soil: it may be covered with a hand-glass when coming into bloom, as the beauty of the flower is liable to be destroyed by the severity of the weather. Considerable medicinal properties were ascribed to this plant by the ancients, but it is now seldom used. There are several other species, but only two of these are generally cultivated—the first mentioned is a British plant.
H. viridis.
— lividus.
Pl. 52.
Plate 53. Eranthis hyemalis. Drawn from Nature by M.R. Engraved by R. Havell Junr.