Page author: David Giblin
Veratrum viride
American false hellebore, green false hellebore, Indian-poke
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the forest and mountainous areas of Washington; Alaska south to California, east to the northern Rocky Mountains; eastern North America from Alabama to Newfoundland.

Habitat: Moist meadows and woodlands, lowlands to subalpine.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, flies, wasps

Description:
General:

Tall perennial herbs from thick rhizomes, the unbranched stems glabrous below and white-woolly above, 1-2 m. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves numerous, alternate, cauline, oblong-elliptic, up to 35 cm. long and nearly as broad.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a loose, open panicle, 3-7 dm. long, the lower branches distinctly drooping; pedicels 2-3 mm. long; perianth yellow-green to deep green, saucer-shaped; tepals 6, distinct, narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 6-10 mm. long, serrulate, woolly on the outside, with a short, broad claw; stamens 6, as long as the tepals.

Fruits:

Capsule 2-3 cm. long, glabrous, tipped with the persistent styles.

Accepted Name:
Veratrum viride Aiton
Publication: Hort. Kew. 3: 422. 1789.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Infraspecies:
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Veratrum viride in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Veratrum viride checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Veratrum viride information.

E-Flora BC: Veratrum viride atlas page.

CalPhotos: Veratrum viride photos.

USDA Plants: Veratrum viride information.

97 photographs:
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