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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Green false hellebore
| image = Veratrum viride.jpg
| image_width = 180px
| image_caption = Green false hellebore in [[Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area]]
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Liliales]]
| familia = [[Melanthiaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Veratrum]]''
| species = '''''V. viride'''''
| binomial = ''Veratrum viride''
| binomial_authority = [[William Aiton|Aiton]]
}}
'''Green false hellebore''' ('''American white hellebore''', '''Bear Corn''', '''Big Hellebore''', '''Devil's Bite''', '''Duck Retten''', '''Indian Poke''', '''Itch-weed''', '''Itchweed''', '''Poor Annie''', and '''Tickleweed'''; ''Veratrum viride'') is a [[perennial plant]] that grows from small [[Wild leek|leek]]-like shoots in the spring to a medium-sized plant with spectacular [[Leaf|leaves]]. It is known for being extremely [[toxic]], and for this reason is considered a pest plant by farmers with livestock.
==Botanical properties==
The adult plant can reach 3 to 5 feet, with even extra length when a floral stem is present. It has a solid white stem with large, broad alternate leaves ending in a short point, heavily ribbed and hairy on the underside. It grows numerous 2 cm lime-green to citrus-yellow [[flower]]s in a large [[inflorescence]]. Rarely goes into flowers.
''Veratrum'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Setaceous Hebrew Character]].
==Ecological==
Green false hellebore is found in wet areas of forests. It prefers deciduous forest but is also found well in the north of boreal forest.
==Distribution and multiplication==
Green false hellebore is found from the Alaska through the Olympic, [[Cascade Range]] and [[Rocky Mountains]] south down to northern [[California]]. In the east, its distribution goes from [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] north to [[Labrador]].
The plant multiplies through its [[rhizome]] and seeds.
==Medicine==
The plant is highly toxic, causing nausaea and vomiting. If the poison is not evacuated, cold sweat and vertigo appears. [[Respiration (physiology)|Respiration]] slows, cardiac rhythm and [[blood pressure]] falls, eventually leading to death.
It is used externally by several Amerindian nations for external treatment. Although is rarely ever used modern herbary due to its concentration of various [[alkaloid]]s, it has been used in the past against high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. The root contains even higher concentrations than the aerial parts.
==Trivia==
The plant was used by some tribes to elect a new leader: all the candidates would eat the root, and the last to start vomiting would become the new leader.<ref>''Fleurbec'', p.27</ref>
==Notes==
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes or references using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
<references />
==References==
* http://www.wnps.org/plants/veratrum_viride.html
* http://collections.ic.gc.ca/hazeltons/hellbore.htm
* http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Veratrum+viride&CAN=LATIND
* http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VEVI
* http://ghs.gresham.k12.or.us/science/ps/nature/gorge/3petal/lily/green.htm [http://web.archive.org/web/20040514025137/http://ghs.gresham.k12.or.us/science/ps/nature/gorge/3petal/lily/green.htm wayback machine]
*Fleurbec Group (ed), 1981, ''Plantes cauvages comestibles''. Saint-henri-de-Lévis, Quebec, Canada. ISBN 2-920174-03-7
[[Category:Liliales]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = Green false hellebore
| image = Veratrum viride.jpg
| image_width = 180px
| image_caption = Green false hellebore in [[Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area]]
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Liliales]]
| familia = [[Melanthiaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Veratrum]]''
| species = '''''V. viride'''''
| binomial = ''Veratrum viride''
| binomial_authority = [[William Aiton|Aiton]]
}}
'''Green false hellebore''' ('''American white hellebore''', '''Bear Corn''', '''Big Hellebore''', '''Devil's Bite''', '''Duck Retten''', '''Indian Poke''', '''Itch-weed''', '''Itchweed''', '''Poor Annie''', and '''Tickleweed'''; ''Veratrum viride'') is a [[perennial plant]] that grows from small [[Wild leek|leek]]-like shoots in the spring to a medium-sized plant with spectacular [[Leaf|leaves]]. It is known for being extremely [[toxic]], and for this reason is considered a pest plant by farmers with livestock.
==Botanical properties==
The adult plant can reach 3 to 5 feet, with even extra length when a floral stem is present. It has a solid white stem with large, broad alternate leaves ending in a short point, heavily ribbed and hairy on the underside. It grows numerous 2 cm lime-green to citrus-yellow [[flower]]s in a large [[inflorescence]]. Rarely goes into flowers.
''Veratrum'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Setaceous Hebrew Character]].
==Ecological==
Green false hellebore is found in wet areas of forests. It prefers deciduous forest but is also found well in the north of boreal forest.
==Distribution and multiplication==
Green false hellebore is found from the Alaska through the Olympic, [[Cascade Range]] and [[Rocky Mountains]] south down to northern [[California]]. In the east, its distribution goes from [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] north to [[Labrador]].
The plant multiplies through its [[rhizome]] and seeds.
==Medicine==
The plant is highly toxic, causing nausaea and vomiting. If the poison is not evacuated, cold sweat and vertigo appears. [[Respiration (physiology)|Respiration]] slows, cardiac rhythm and [[blood pressure]] falls, eventually leading to death.
It is used externally by several Amerindian nations for external treatment. Although is rarely ever used modern herbary due to its concentration of various [[alkaloid]]s, it has been used in the past against high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. The root contains even higher concentrations than the aerial parts.
==Trivia==
The plant was used by some tribes to elect a new leader: all the candidates would eat the root, and the last to start vomiting would become the new leader.<ref>''Fleurbec'', p.27</ref>
==Notes==
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes or references using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
<references />
==References==
* http://www.wnps.org/plants/veratrum_viride.html
* http://collections.ic.gc.ca/hazeltons/hellbore.htm
* http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Veratrum+viride&CAN=LATIND
* http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VEVI
* http://ghs.gresham.k12.or.us/science/ps/nature/gorge/3petal/lily/green.htm [http://web.archive.org/web/20040514025137/http://ghs.gresham.k12.or.us/science/ps/nature/gorge/3petal/lily/green.htm wayback machine]
*Fleurbec Group (ed), 1981, ''Plantes cauvages comestibles''. Saint-henri-de-Lévis, Quebec, Canada. ISBN 2-920174-03-7
[[Category:Liliales]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]