Helleborus foetidus, known variously as stinking hellebore/ˈhɛlɪbɔːr/, dungwort, setterwort and bear's foot, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to the mountainous regions of Central and Southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is found wild in many parts of England, especially on limestone soil.
It is an evergreenperennial growing to 80 cm (31 in) tall and 100 cm (39 in) across, with a thick succulent stem and glossy leaves. The drooping cup-shaped flowers appear in spring, and are yellowish-green, often with a purple edge to the five petal-like sepals on strongly upright stems. The flowers, typically for the family, contain numerous stamens as well as up to ten nectaries which make them attractive to bees and other insects. Each flower produces up to five (usually three) wrinkled follicles. Despite its common name, it is not noticeably malodorous, although the foliage is pungent when crushed.[1]
All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing glycosides. Symptoms of intoxication include violent vomiting and delirium.[1]
Yeasts colonise the nectaries of stinking hellebore and their presence has been found to raise the temperature of the flower, which may aid in attracting pollinators to the flower by increasing the evaporation of volatile organic compounds. It was the first species in which this effect was discovered.[2][3]
Horticultureedit
Flowers
H. foetidus is grown in gardens for its handsome evergreen foliage and large numbers of green, bell-shaped flowers borne in late winter. It prefers woodland conditions with deep, fertile, moist, humus rich, well-drained soil, and dappled shade. The species is, however, drought-tolerant. It often occurs naturally on chalk or limestone soils.
The cultivar 'Green Giant' has very bright green flowers and finely divided foliage; 'Miss Jekyll' has fragrant flowers, intensity varying with the time of day; 'Wester Flisk Group' has red-tinted leaves and stems and gray-green flowers; the 'Sierra Nevada Group' is dwarf, reaching 30 cm.
Propagation is by division or from seed, which can be prolific, naturalising well in ideal conditions. Rodents should be kept away from the garden since they depredate the seeds either when still in fruiting plants within the carpels or from the floor after seed release.[6]
Helleborus foetidus
Referencesedit
^ abNorth, Pamela (1967). Poisonous plants and fungi in colour. Blandford Press & Pharmacological Society of Great Britain. OL 193794W.
^Barley, Shanta (10 February 2010). "Stinky flower is kept warm by yeast partner". New Scientist. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
^Herrera, Carlos; María I. Pozo (10 February 2010). "Nectar yeasts warm the flowers of a winter-blooming plant". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 277 (1689): 1827–34. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.2252. PMC2871880. PMID 20147331.
^"Helleborus foetidus". RHS Plant Selector. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
^"AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 47. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
^Fedriani, JM; Rey, PJ; Garrido, JL; Guitian, J; Herrera, CM; Medrano, M; Sanchez-Lafuente, AM; Cerdá, X (2004). "Geographical variation in the potential of mice to constrain an ant-seed dispersal mutualism". Oikos. 105: 181–191. doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.12782.x. hdl:10261/40326. OCLC 808298507.
Wikiversity has bloom time data for Helleborus foetidus on the Bloom Clock
"Helleborus foetidus L". Flora Europaea. Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
Flora, the gardener's bible. Ultimo, NSW, Australia: ABC books. 2006. OL 2373715W.
Geoff Bryant; Tony Rodd; Kate Bryant (2005). Ultimate plant book. Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. OCLC 224966026.
January 01, 1970
helleborus, foetidus, known, variously, stinking, hellebore, ɔː, dungwort, setterwort, bear, foot, species, flowering, plant, buttercup, family, ranunculaceae, native, mountainous, regions, central, southern, europe, asia, minor, found, wild, many, parts, engl. Helleborus foetidus known variously as stinking hellebore ˈ h ɛ l ɪ b ɔː r dungwort setterwort and bear s foot is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae native to the mountainous regions of Central and Southern Europe and Asia Minor It is found wild in many parts of England especially on limestone soil Helleborus foetidus Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Order Ranunculales Family Ranunculaceae Genus Helleborus Species H foetidus Binomial name Helleborus foetidusL Description editIt is an evergreen perennial growing to 80 cm 31 in tall and 100 cm 39 in across with a thick succulent stem and glossy leaves The drooping cup shaped flowers appear in spring and are yellowish green often with a purple edge to the five petal like sepals on strongly upright stems The flowers typically for the family contain numerous stamens as well as up to ten nectaries which make them attractive to bees and other insects Each flower produces up to five usually three wrinkled follicles Despite its common name it is not noticeably malodorous although the foliage is pungent when crushed 1 All parts of the plant are poisonous containing glycosides Symptoms of intoxication include violent vomiting and delirium 1 Yeasts colonise the nectaries of stinking hellebore and their presence has been found to raise the temperature of the flower which may aid in attracting pollinators to the flower by increasing the evaporation of volatile organic compounds It was the first species in which this effect was discovered 2 3 Horticulture edit nbsp Flowers H foetidus is grown in gardens for its handsome evergreen foliage and large numbers of green bell shaped flowers borne in late winter It prefers woodland conditions with deep fertile moist humus rich well drained soil and dappled shade The species is however drought tolerant It often occurs naturally on chalk or limestone soils This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society s Award of Garden Merit 4 5 The cultivar Green Giant has very bright green flowers and finely divided foliage Miss Jekyll has fragrant flowers intensity varying with the time of day Wester Flisk Group has red tinted leaves and stems and gray green flowers the Sierra Nevada Group is dwarf reaching 30 cm Propagation is by division or from seed which can be prolific naturalising well in ideal conditions Rodents should be kept away from the garden since they depredate the seeds either when still in fruiting plants within the carpels or from the floor after seed release 6 nbsp Helleborus foetidusReferences edit a b North Pamela 1967 Poisonous plants and fungi in colour Blandford Press amp Pharmacological Society of Great Britain OL 193794W Barley Shanta 10 February 2010 Stinky flower is kept warm by yeast partner New Scientist Retrieved 10 February 2010 Herrera Carlos Maria I Pozo 10 February 2010 Nectar yeasts warm the flowers of a winter blooming plant Proceedings of the Royal Society B 277 1689 1827 34 doi 10 1098 rspb 2009 2252 PMC 2871880 PMID 20147331 Helleborus foetidus RHS Plant Selector Retrieved 6 August 2020 AGM Plants Ornamental PDF Royal Horticultural Society July 2017 p 47 Retrieved 3 March 2018 Fedriani JM Rey PJ Garrido JL Guitian J Herrera CM Medrano M Sanchez Lafuente AM Cerda X 2004 Geographical variation in the potential of mice to constrain an ant seed dispersal mutualism Oikos 105 181 191 doi 10 1111 j 0030 1299 2004 12782 x hdl 10261 40326 OCLC 808298507 nbsp Wikiversity has bloom time data for Helleborus foetidus on the Bloom Clock Helleborus foetidus L Flora Europaea Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh Retrieved 29 September 2014 Franklin Perring Max Walters 1989 Macmillan field guide to British wildflowers Macmillan ISBN 978 0 333 44522 8 Flora the gardener s bible Ultimo NSW Australia ABC books 2006 OL 2373715W Geoff Bryant Tony Rodd Kate Bryant 2005 Ultimate plant book Collingwood Victoria Australia CSIRO Publishing OCLC 224966026 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helleborus foetidus amp oldid 1009918677, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
