Veratrum

White Hellebore ( Veratrum album)

The hellebore ( Veratrum ) are a genus of plants Germer ( Melanthiaceae ).

Features

Germer are strong, perennial plants that form vertical rhizomes as outlasting. The rhizomes are covered at the top with remains of leaf sheaths. The stems are simple and leafy. The leaves are numerous, arranged in spirals, wide of wide - elliptical in shape, up to 15 cm. You are folded lengthwise, multicore and scheidig narrowed at its base.

The inflorescence is a panicle Vielblütige. The individual flowers are hermaphroditic, the upper sometimes male. The tepals are spread, not adherent and white, greenish, reddish - brown or black color. There are six stamens and three separate pen. The fruits are vielsamige, dreifächrige capsules.

The basic chromosome number is x = 9 The plants contain a variety of Cerveratrum and Jerveratrum alkaloids.

Dissemination

The genus is widespread in the northern hemisphere.

System

The genus of Germer ( Veratrum ) consists of 20 to 35 species. The number depends primarily on whether the individual sub- clans of the three widespread clans Veratrum album, Veratrum nigrum and Veratrum viride are classified as species or subspecies.

There are the following types (selection):

  • White Hellebore ( Veratrum album L. )
  • Veratrum californicum Durand
  • Veratrum dahuricum ( Turcz. ) O. Loes.
  • Veratrum fimbriatum A. Gray
  • Veratrum formosanum O. Loes.
  • Veratrum grandiflorum ( Maxim. ex Miq. ) O. Loes.
  • Veratrum insolitum Jeps.
  • Veratrum lobelianum Bernh. (also known as a subspecies of V. album)
  • Veratrum maackii rule
  • Veratrum mengtzeanum O. Loes.
  • Veratrum micranthum F.F. Wang & Tang
  • Black hellebore ( Veratrum nigrum L.)
  • Veratrum oblongum O. Loes.
  • Veratrum oxysepalum Turcz.
  • Veratrum schindleri O. Loes.
  • Veratrum stenophyllum Diels
  • Veratrum taliense O. Loes.
  • Veratrum viride Aiton

The genus name Veratrum is related to the Latin word verus together, the interpretation is unclear. The German name Germer may be related to shirt. A decoction of the White Germer was formerly used against lice and cockroaches.

Use

The species were partially used medically because of their alkaloid content. Some species are extremely poisonous. Some are cultivated as ornamentals.

Documents

  • Siegmund Seybold (ed.): Schmeil Fitschen - interactive ( CD -Rom ), Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2001/2002, ISBN 3-494-01327-6
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