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American false hellebore, corn lily, green false-hellebore, Indian hellebore, Indian-poke, showy false hellebore, vérâtre verti

California corn lily, California false hellebore, Californian false hellebore, false-hellebore

Stems

0.5–2 m, nearly glabrous to densely tomentose.

1–2.5 m, ± glabrous proximally, tomentose distally.

Leaves

ovate to elliptic, reduced distally, to lanceolate, 15–35 × 8–20 cm, glabrous to densely hairy, especially on abaxial surface.

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.

Inflorescences

paniculate, with ascending to spreading or distinctly drooping (particularly in w North America) branches, 30–70 cm, tomentose;

bracts lanceolate, shorter than flowers.

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.

Capsules

oblong-ovoid, 2–3 cm, glabrous.

narrowly ovoid, 2–3 cm, glabrous.

Seeds

flat, broadly winged, 8–10 mm.

flat, winged, 10–12 mm.

Tepals

deep green to yellowish, lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, narrowed to short, broad claw, 5–12 mm, tomentose adaxially, margins of both whorls or at least inner obviously erose-serrulate;

gland 1, basal, dark green or yellowish green, V-shaped;

ovary glabrous;

pedicel 2–10 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 viride

Veratrum californicum

Distribution
from USDA
North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Veratrum viride consists of two clearly related, disjunct populations, one in eastern and one in western North America. These were clearly separated by continental glaciation and have subsequently evolved in isolation. Nonetheless they show many critical features in common, and individual plants from either region occasionally show one or more features common to plants in the other. The two populations have been variously classified as separate species, varieties, or subspecies, or as a single taxon. We have chosen to recognize two distinctive, if subtle, varieties.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

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.)

Key
1. Inflorescence branches ascending to spreading, only rarely drooping; flowers spreading to rarely erect; east of 85th meridian.
var. viride
1. Inflorescence branches spreading to commonly drooping; flowers erect; west of 110th meridian.
var. eschscholzianum
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
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 74. FNA vol. 26, p. 75.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Veratrum Liliaceae > Veratrum
Sibling taxa
V. album, V. californicum, V. fimbriatum, V. insolitum
V. album, V. fimbriatum, V. insolitum, V. viride
Subordinate taxa
V. viride var. eschscholzianum, V. viride var. viride
V. californicum var. californicum, V. californicum var. caudatum
Name authority Aiton: Hort. Kew. 3: 422. (1789) Durand: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, ser. 2, 3: 103. (1855)
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