View source for Veratrum ← Veratrum You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason: The action you have requested is limited to users in the group: Users. You can view and copy the source of this page. {{Treatment/ID |accepted_name=Veratrum |accepted_authority=Linnaeus |publications={{Treatment/Publication |title=Sp. Pl. |place=2: 1044. 1753 |year=1753 }}, {{Treatment/Publication |title=Gen. Pl. ed. |place=5: 468. 1754 |year=1754 }} |common_names=False hellebore;skunk-cabbage;corn-lily;vérâtre;varaire |basionyms= |synonyms={{Treatment/ID/Synonym |name=Acelidanthus |authority=Trautvetter & C. A. Meyer |rank=genus }} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym |name=Evonyxis |authority=Rafinesque |rank=genus }} {{Treatment/ID/Synonym |name=Leimanthium |authority=Willdenow |rank=genus }} |hierarchy=Liliaceae;Veratrum |hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Liliaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Veratrum]]</div></div> |etymology=Latin vere, true, and ater, black, alluding to black rhizomes found in some species |volume=Volume 26 |mention_page=page 14, 53, 55, 56, 73, 74, 76, 77, 82 |treatment_page=page 72 }}<!-- --><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties="whole_organism duration;whole_organism growth form;rhizome height or length or size;rhizome width;rhizome orientation;basal bulb shape"><b>Herbs,</b> perennial, from short, thick, vertical rhizomes and swollen basal bulbs;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="root architecture;root texture">roots contractile, fleshy.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="stem orientation;stem architecture;stem architecture;stem fragility;stem size or width;stem architecture"><b>Stems </b>erect, simple, hollow, robust, basally thickened, leafy.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="leaf arrangement;leaf architecture;leaf architecture;leaf shape;leaf architecture or arrangement or shape or vernation;leaf size;leaf shape;sheath condition;sheath shape;sheath arrangement"><b>Leaves </b>alternate, simple, strongly veined, narrowly to broadly orbicular, often plicate, reduced upwards, narrowed into closed, tubular, often overlapping sheaths.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="inflorescence arrangement;inflorescence arrangement;inflorescence arrangement;inflorescence architecture;inflorescence pubescence"><b>Inflorescences </b>compound-racemose or large terminal-paniculate, bracteate, pubescent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="flower reproduction;flower reproduction;proximal flower architecture"><b>Flowers </b>bisexual or some proximal ones staminate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="perianth position;perianth shape;hypanthium fusion">perianth perigynous, rotate to ± campanulate, with hypanthium fused to base of ovary;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="tepal duration;tepal quantity;tepal orientation;tepal fusion;tepal coloration;tepal coloration;tepal coloration;tepal coloration;tepal coloration;tepal coloration;tepal architecture;tepal shape;tepal variability;tepal size;margin shape;margin shape">tepals persistent, 6, spreading to erect, distinct to weakly connate basally, off-white, green, yellow, or purple, petaloid, not clawed, equal to subequal, margins entire or erose-fimbriate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="gland quantity;gland position;gland shape;midrib position">glands 1–2, basal, on adaxial surface, V-shaped over midrib or marginal pair;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="stamen quantity;stamen position">stamens 6, perigynous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="filament fusion;filament shape">filaments distinct, filiform;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="anther duration;anther architecture or structure in adjective form;anther shape;anther dehiscence;anther arrangement or dehiscence;theca arrangement">anthers persistent, 1-locular with confluent thecae, cordate-reniform, dehiscence apical/valvate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="ovary position;ovary position;ovary architecture or structure in adjective form">ovary superior or partly inferior, 3-locular;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="style quantity;style orientation;style arrangement;style fusion;style height or length or size">styles 3, erect to divergent, distinct, short;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="stigma shape;style surface position">stigmas elongate, extending down inner style surfaces.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s15" data-properties="fruit architecture;fruit shape;style beak duration;style beak dehiscence"><b>Fruits </b>capsular, deeply 3-lobed, style beaks persistent, dehiscence septicidal.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s16" data-properties=""><b>Seeds </b>ellipsoid to fusiform, flat, broadly winged (± globose with wings reduced to basal ridges in V. fimbriatum).</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s17" data-properties="seed shape;seed prominence or shape;seed architecture;x chromosome quantity">x = 8.</span><!-- -->{{Treatment/Body |distribution=Northern Hemisphere |discussion=<p>Species 25–30 (5 in the flora).</p><!-- --><p>The number of Veratrum species depends on the taxonomic treatment of four wide-ranging species complexes, three of which are entirely or mainly Eurasian (V. album, V. nigrum Linnaeus, and V. maackii Regel) and one North American (V. viride) (O. Loesener 1926, 1927, 1928; B. Mathew 1989; J. H. Zimmerman 1958). The Asian species have been variously circumscribed (Chen S. C. and H. Takahashi 2000; H. Kato et al. 1996; T. Nakai 1937, 1937b; N. S. Lee 1985, 1985b). Generic size further depends on inclusion or not of the closely related Melanthium (J. D. Ambrose 1975, 1980; P. Goldblatt 1995; M. N. Tamura 1998; W. B. Zomlefer 1997b), here treated as a separate genus.</p><!-- --><p>The medicinal/poisonous properties of Veratrum involve a complex of cerveratrum and jerveratrum alkaloids, some with proven hypotensive properties and others that are highly toxic to humans and livestock (S. M. Kupchan et al. 1961; A. Osol et al. 1960; I. W. Southon and J. Buckingham 1989). Veraloid, a standard mixture of the most hypotensive Veratrum alkaloids, was widely prescribed until late in the nineteenth century, when emetic side effects greatly curtailed its use. The types and concentrations of alkaloids vary with the species, plant part, and season (C. A. Taylor 1956, 1956b).</p><!-- --><p>Several Veratrum species are occasionally cultivated surrounded by low-growing plants for their architectural appeal in mesic or bog gardens. Century-old plants grow from the long-lived rhizome-bulb.</p> |tables= |references= }}<!-- --><div class="treatment-key"> ==Key== <div class="treatment-key-group"> {| class="wikitable fna-keytable" |-id=key-0-1 |1 |Ovary and fruit densely tomentose; tepal margins (at least inner) irregularly and shallowly fringed. |[[Veratrum insolitum|Veratrum insolitum]] |-id=key-0-1 |1 |Ovary and fruit glabrous or sparsely pubescent with few ± straight hairs; tepal margins entire to deeply fringed. |[[#key-0-2| > 2]] |-id=key-0-2 |2 |Tepal margins deeply fimbriate; seeds ± globose, wingless; coastal n California. |[[Veratrum fimbriatum|Veratrum fimbriatum]] |-id=key-0-2 |2 |Tepal margins entire to finely erose-dentate; seeds flattened, winged; widespread. |[[#key-0-3| > 3]] |-id=key-0-3 |3 |Tepals green to yellowish green; inflorescence branches drooping or, if spreading to ascending; from east of 85th meridian. |[[Veratrum viride|Veratrum viride]] |-id=key-0-3 |3 |Tepals whitish to yellowish green; inflorescence branches spreading to ascending; west of 104th meridian. |[[#key-0-4| > 4]] |-id=key-0-4 |4 |Stems 1–2.5 m, inflorescences freely branching; south of 50th parallel. |[[Veratrum californicum|Veratrum californicum]] |-id=key-0-4 |4 |Stems 0.3–1 m, inflorescences spiciform-racemose or few-branched proximally; Seward Peninsula, adjacent Alaska, w Aleutian Islands. |[[Veratrum album|Veratrum album]] |} </div></div><!-- -->{{#Taxon: name=Veratrum |author=Dale W. McNeal Jr.;Aaron D. Shaw |authority=Linnaeus |rank=genus |parent rank=family |synonyms=Acelidanthus;Evonyxis;Leimanthium |basionyms= |family=Liliaceae |distribution=Northern Hemisphere |reference=None |publication title=Sp. Pl.;Gen. Pl. ed. |publication year=1753;1754 |special status= |source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/84153f6d59a0a91d69695978a64cee7560374f8e/V26/V26_53.xml |genus=Veratrum |anther architecture or structure in adjective form=1-locular |anther arrangement or dehiscence=/valvate |anther dehiscence=apical |anther duration=persistent |anther shape=cordate-reniform |basal bulb shape=swollen |filament fusion=distinct |filament shape=filiform |flower reproduction=some;bisexual |fruit architecture=capsular |fruit shape=3-lobed |gland position=basal |gland quantity=1;2 |gland shape=v--shaped |hypanthium fusion=fused |inflorescence architecture=bracteate |inflorescence arrangement=terminal-paniculate;large;compound-racemose |inflorescence pubescence=pubescent |leaf architecture=veined;simple |leaf architecture or arrangement or shape or vernation=plicate |leaf arrangement=alternate |leaf shape=narrowed;orbicular |leaf size=reduced |margin shape=erose-fimbriate;entire |midrib position=marginal |ovary architecture or structure in adjective form=3-locular |ovary position=inferior;superior |perianth position=perigynous |perianth shape=rotate;more or less campanulate |proximal flower architecture=staminate |rhizome height or length or size=short |rhizome orientation=vertical |rhizome width=thick |root architecture=contractile |root texture=fleshy |seed architecture=winged |seed prominence or shape=flat |seed shape=ellipsoid;fusiform |sheath arrangement=overlapping |sheath condition=closed |sheath shape=tubular |stamen position=perigynous |stamen quantity=6 |stem architecture=leafy;hollow;simple |stem fragility=robust |stem orientation=erect |stem size or width=thickened |stigma shape=elongate |style arrangement=divergent |style beak dehiscence=septicidal |style beak duration=persistent |style fusion=distinct |style height or length or size=short |style orientation=erect |style quantity=3 |style surface position=inner |tepal architecture=petaloid |tepal coloration=purple;yellow;purple;yellow;green;off-white |tepal duration=persistent |tepal fusion=distinct;weakly connate |tepal orientation=spreading;erect |tepal quantity=6 |tepal shape=not clawed |tepal size=subequal |tepal variability=equal |theca arrangement=confluent |whole_organism duration=perennial |whole_organism growth form=herb |x chromosome quantity=8 }}<!-- -->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Liliaceae]] Templates used on this page: Template:Liliaceae (view source) Template:Treatment/AuthorLink (view source) Template:Treatment/Body (view source) Template:Treatment/Body/Maps (view source) Template:Treatment/ID (view source) Template:Treatment/ID/Synonym (view source) Template:Treatment/Publication (view source) Return to Veratrum.