Veratrum californicum
Veratrum album
California corn lily, California false hellebore, Californian false hellebore, false-hellebore
white false hellebore
1–2.5 m, ± glabrous proximally, tomentose distally.
ovate, distalmost lanceolate to lance-linear, 20–40 × 15–25 cm, reduced distally, tomentose-ciliate, curly-hairy abaxially, glabrous or veins sparsely short-hairy adaxially.
dense-paniculate, with spreading to stiffly erect branches to near tip or distal 1/3–1/2 unbranched, 30–70 cm, tomentose;
bracts ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, shorter than to obviously longer than flowers.
narrowly ovoid, 2–3 cm, glabrous.
flat, winged, 10–12 mm.
creamy white, greenish basally, lanceolate to elliptic or oblong-ovate, not or very slightly clawed, 8–17 mm, margins entire to denticulate, glabrous to abaxially tomentose;
gland 1, basal, green, V-shaped;
ovary glabrous or with few hairs;
pedicel 1–6 mm.
Veratrum californicum
Veratrum album
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Different geographic elements of Veratrum californicum have been described as separate species or varieties. The variation seems to be clinal, with most variants not consistent in their appearance or distribution. We have recognized two varieties that appear to be fairly consistent in their distributions and characteristics.
Western Native Americans (Blackfeet, Paiute, Shoshone, Thompson, and Washoe) used this species as an antirheumatic, poison, contraceptive, and emetic, as well as a skin, respiratory, blood, cold, snake bite, throat, and toothache aid (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).
This is the only Veratrum species to occur in Europe, Asia, and North America, and it is probably more widespread in northwestern Alaska than reported. Veratrum album is highly variable in size, flower color, pedicel length, and hairiness, and it has an extensive synonymy in Eurasia. Within the species at large, a polyploid series that includes 4x, 9x, 10x, and 12x accompanies the complex variability among constituent populations (M. N. Tamura 1998).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Panicle branched more than 2/3 length of tip; bracts in unbranched portion ovate-elliptic, seldom exceeding flowers. | var. californicum |
1. Panicle unbranched in distal 1/3–1/2; bracts in proximal unbranched portion lanceolate, frequently 2–3 times longer than flowers. | var. caudatum |
OR
WA
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
