Veratrum viride
Veratrum viride var. viride
American false hellebore, corn lily, green false-hellebore, Indian hellebore, Indian-poke, showy false hellebore, vérâtre verti
0.5–2 m, nearly glabrous to densely tomentose.
glabrous proximally, ± tomentose distally.
ovate to elliptic, reduced distally, to lanceolate, 15–35 × 8–20 cm, glabrous to densely hairy, especially on abaxial surface.
15–25 × 10–18 cm.
paniculate, with ascending to spreading or distinctly drooping (particularly in w North America) branches, 30–70 cm, tomentose;
bracts lanceolate, shorter than flowers.
with branches ascending to spreading, only rarely drooping.
spreading to rarely erect;
tepals deep green, 6–10 mm.
oblong-ovoid, 2–3 cm, glabrous.
flat, broadly winged, 8–10 mm.
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.
= 32.
Veratrum viride
Veratrum viride var. viride
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.)
Eastern Native Americans (Cherokee and Iroquois) used Veratrum viride var. viride as an antirheumatic and analgesic as well as a cold, skin, and orthopedic aid (D. E. Moerman 1986). Colonial settlers soaked corn seeds in an infusion of the plant to kill marauding birds (J. U. Lloyd 1897). This variety is considered a pasture weed in areas around Quebec and in the New England states (C. A. Taylor 1956).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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 |
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
MD Biodiversity
