[pbs] "false" hellebore
Kenneth Hixson
khixson at nu-world.com
Sat May 8 02:40:25 EDT 2004
Hi, members:
Earlier, Jane wrote of wondering why Veratrum was a "false"
hellebore, when it didn't resemble Helleborus. While looking for
something else, I happened to access the following:
www.larkspurbooks.com/Lily5.html
"False Hellebore, Corn Lily, Veratrum californicum: The word "hellebore"
is from the Greek elleboros. The scientific name is from the Latin
"veratrum,"
both terms were used in antiquity for poisonous plants. Later, those in the
Lilly family were given the Latin name veratrum; and those in the Buttercup
family the Greek name, helleborus. Thus, "true" hellebores are members of
the Buttercup Family . The "false" hellebores are Liliaceae. All are
poisonous,
although they do have therapeutic valueHelleborus species contain cardiac
glycosides and Veratrum viride was, until recently, used to treat
hypertension."
This all sounds reasonable, so until someone wiser than I proposes
a better answer, I'll accept this.
Ken
PS Lily family, not Lilly.
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