The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

California false hellebore

corn-lily, false hellebore, skunk-cabbage

Habit Tall perennial herbs from thick rhizomes, the simple stem glabrous below, 1.5-2 m. tall.
Leaves

Leaves numerous, alternate, cauline, ovate to broadly elliptic, 2-3 dm. long and over as broad, strongly sheathing at base, reduced upward.

Flowers

Inflorescence a dense panicle, 3-6 dm. long, stiffly erect, the lower branches not drooping;

pedicels 1-3 mm. long;

perianth off-white to greenish tinged, saucer-shaped;

tepals 6, distinct, lanceolate to elliptic, broadly clawed at base, 10-17 mm. long, nearly entire and glabrous;

stamens 6, about as long as the tepals.

Fruits

Capsule 2-3 cm. long, glabrous, narrowly ovoid, tipped with the persistent styles.

Veratrum californicum

Veratrum

Flowering time June-August
Habitat Moist meadows and woodlands, lowlands to subalpine.
Distribution
Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Not of concern Not of concern
Sibling taxa
V. insolitum, V. viride
Subordinate taxa
V. californicum var. californicum, V. californicum var. caudatum
V. californicum, V. insolitum, V. viride
Web links