flowers, but all the leaves are radical; they are palmate or shaped like the hand, and of a dark, dull green color. The root is black; hence the name of Helleborus niger, or the Black Hellebore. This plant flourishes in most of the southern countries of Europe, and was well known to the ancients, even it is supposed as long ago as the time of Moses. It was then used as an antidote against madness; hence one of the old French poets says L'ellebore est la fleur des fous. The Black Hellebore was used by the Greeks and Romans to purify their houses, and to hallow their dwellings; and they had a belief that by strewing or perfuming their apartments with this plant they drove away evil spirits. This ceremony was performed with great devotion, and accompanied with the singing of solemn hymns; also the Gauls never went to the chase without rubbing the points of their arrows with this herb, believing that it made the flesh of the game killed by them the more tender. Dart-shaped-See Hastate, Decumbent-Lying on the ground. Dentate-Toothed; leaves are often dentate. Disk-The inner part of a compound flower; the outer part being called the ray. Drupe-A fleshy fruit with a stone in the middle, as the Plum, Cherry, &c. Foot-stalk-The stalk of flowers or leaves. Forked-Divided into two or more parts. Frond-The leaf-like part of the Ferns, &c. Fulcra-Hairs, prickles, stipules, leaf-stalks, &c. are so called. Glandular-Covered with glands. Glaucous-Of a whitish green. Glume-The outer husk of a Grass flower. Granular Consisting of small grains, as some roots. Habit-Means the general appearance of a plant. Hastate-Shaped like a halbert, or dart, as the leaves of the Smaller Bindweed. |