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Helleborus Niger, Christmas Rose
Helleborus Niger. Black Hellebore, or Christmas
Rose
Class and Order
Polyandria Polygynia
Generic Character
Calyx nullus. Petala 5 sive plura. Nectaria bilabiata, tubulata.
Capsulæ polyspermæ, erectiusculæ
Specific Character and Synonyms
HELLEBORUS niger scapo sub-bifloro subnudo, foliis pedatis. Lin.
Syst. Vegetab. p. 431. Sp. Pl. p. 783.
HELLEBORUS niger flore roseo, Bauh. Pin. 186.
The true Black Hellebore, or Christmas flower. Parkins. Parad. p.
344.
As our Publication seems likely to fall into the hands of such as
are totally unacquainted with Botany, or botanical writings, it must
plead as an apology for our often explaining many circumstances
relative to plants, which may be well known to adepts in the
science.
This plant derives its first name from the black color of its roots,
its second from its early flowering, and the color of its petals,
which though generally milk-white on their first appearance, yet
have frequently a tint of red in them, which increases with the age
of the blossom and finally changes to green; in some species of
Hellebore, particularly the viridis, the flower is green from first
to last.
Black Hellebore grows wild on the Appenine and other mountains,
preferring such as are rocky.
If the weather be unusually mild, it will flower in our gardens, in
the open border, as early as December and January; it may indeed be
considered as the herald of approaching spring.
Like most other alpine plants, it loves a pure air, a situation
moderately moist, and a soil unmanured: as the beauty of its flowers
is apt to be destroyed by severe frosts, it should be covered during
the winter with a hand-glass, or if it be treated in the manner
recommended for the round-leav'd Cyclamen, it may be had to flower
in still greater perfection.
It is propagated by parting its roots in autumn: neither this
species nor the hyemalis thrive very near London.
The Botanical Magazine or Flower-Garden Displayed |
