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false-hellebore

Siskiyou false-hellebore

Stems

1–2.5m, glabrous proximally, tomentose distally.

1–1.5m, distally hairy.

Leaves

ovate, distally lanceolate to lance-linear, 20–40 × 15–25 cm, abaxially tomentose to ciliate or curly-haired, adaxially glabrous or with veins sparsely short-haired.

elliptic, 10–35 × 5–20 cm;

distal leaves lanceolate, reduced, gray woolly hairs below and on sheathes; at least when young.

Inflorescences

dense panicles, 30–70 cm;

branches spreading to stiffly erect;

distal 33–50% unbranched, tomentose;

bracts ovate-elliptic to lanceolate; shorter than to much longer than flowers.

20–50 cm;

branches ascending, gray woolly-haired;

bracts ovate to lanceolate; shorter than flowers.

Pedicel

1–6 mm.

6–15 mm.

Flowers

tepals lanceolate to elliptic or oblong-ovate, 8–17 mm; creamy white with a greenish base, not or very slightly clawed;

margins entire to minutely dentate, glabrous to abaxially tomentose;

gland 1, green; V-shaped;

basal;

ovary glabrous or minutely hairy.

6–9(15) mm;

tepals widely ovate; creamy white to yellow, not clawed;

gland 1, green, elliptic, Vshaped;

basal;

stamens equal to the length of the tepals;

ovary densely woolly.

Fruits

narrowly ovoid, 2–3 cm, glabrous.

oblong-ovoid, 2–3 cm, woolly.

Seeds

flat, 1–2 cm, winged.

flat, 10–15 mm;

wings broad.

2n

=32.

=32.

Veratrum californicum

Veratrum insolitum

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Western North America. 2 varieties.

Moist meadows and stream banks, mixed-evergreen forest margins, open areas in thickets. Flowering Jun–Aug. 700– 1900m. Casc, CR, Sisk. CA, WA. Native.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 316
Tamra Prior
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 317
Tamra Prior
Sibling taxa
V. fimbriatum, V. insolitum, V. viride
V. californicum, V. fimbriatum, V. viride
Subordinate taxa
V. californicum var. californicum, V. californicum var. caudatum
Web links