HELLÉBORUS purpurascens.
Purplish Bear’s-foot.
Linnean Class and Order. P O L Y A N D R IA P O L Y G Y N IA .
Natural Order. R A N T JN C U L A C EÆ . DC. syst. veg. nat. v. l . p . 127.
T r ib u sIV . H E L L E B O R EÆ . Æstivatio calycis et corollæ imbricata.
P e ta la nunc 0, nunc 5-10 (nectaria Lin.) irregularia sæpiùs bilabiata nectarifera
; calyx sæpiùs coloratus petaloideus. Carpella polysperma sæpiùs
libera, suturá longitudinali intùs dehiscentia, interdùm in pericarpium mul-
tiloculare coalita; semina horizontalia, placentis secus suturara dispositis
adfixa. — Caules ¿erbacei ; folia alterna, nunc radicalia, nunc sæpiùs caulina;
flores varié dispositi, colores omnes admitientes, dupli modo pieni,
filamentis nempé in petala plana, aut antheris in petala bilabiata evadenti-
bus. D C . syst. veg. v. 1. p . 306.
H E L L E B O R U S . Calyx persistens 5-sepalus, sepalis subrotundis obtusis
magnis sæpè viridibus. P etala 8-10 brevissima tabulata inferné an-
gustiora nectarifera. Stamina 30-60. Ovaría 3-10. Stigmata terminalia
orbiculata. Capsulæ coriaceæ. Semina duplici serie disposita elliptica um-
bilicata. D C . prodr. \ . p. 46.
H . purpurascens, foliis radicalibus subtùs subpubescentibus palmatisectis ;
segmentis basi cuneatis apice 3-5-lobis, caule bifloro, foliis floralibus
subsessilibus, calycis sepalis subrotundis coloratis. D C . syst. veg. nat.
v . l . p . 318. P ro d r. 1. p . 47. excl. syn. Bocc. mus. 2. p . 26. <. l l . y . 2.
R . R . ex Tenore prodr. 1823. p. 26. spec, distiucta.
H . purpurascens. Waldst. et K i t . p i. rar. 2. p . 105. 1 .101. Pers. syn.v . 2.
p . 107. Spreng. syst. 2. p . 658. Stvt. hort. brit. ed. 2. p . 7.
Leaves and Flower-stems several from the same root.
Spathes 2, surrounding the base of the petiole or leaf-stalk,
one longer than the other, keeled at the back, and terminating
in a small point. Leaves extending above the
flower-stalk, particularly in a strong plant. Petiole lengthening
out as the plant advances in strength, somewhat
bluntly angular near the base, a channel proceeding from
the leaf a considerable way down the stem, more or less
spotted, or tinged with purple, particularly as the weather
becomes warmer, clothed with small distant hairs. Leaves
palmately divided : root ones underneath slightly pubescent:
segments 3 to 5-lobed, and wedge shaped at the base : leaflets
on short footstalks, tinged with purple on the upper side;
more or less broadly or narrowly lanceolate, terminating to
a sharp point, upper part sharply serrated, but entire a considerable
way above the base. Flower-stem erect, branched
SI 2
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