Tibetan Hellebore

Rhizome ca. 4 mm in diam., with dense succulent long fibrous roots. Stems 30--50 cm tall, glabrous, base with 2 or 3 scales, apically branched. Basal leaves 1(or 2), glabrous, long petiolate; petiole 20--24 cm; leaf blade reniform or pentagonal, 7.5--16 × 14--24 cm, pedately 3-sect; central segment oblanceolate, 1.6--4.5 cm wide, above middle densely serrate; later- al segments shortly stalked, flabellate, unequally 3-sect. Cauline leaves subsessile, smaller than basal ones, central segment narrowly elliptic, lateral ones unequally 2- or 3-parted. Flower 1(or 2), terminal, 3.5--6 cm in diam., glabrous. Sepals pink-red, green at fruiting, elliptic or narrowly elliptic (1.1--) 1.6--3.3 × (0.5--)1--1.8 cm. Petals 8--10, yellowish green, tubular 5--6 mm, shortly stalked, slightly 2-fid. Stamens (4.5--)7--10 mm; filaments narrowly linear; anthers ellipsoid, 1--1.5 mm. Follicles 2, rarely 3, 1.5--2.8 × 0.9--1.2 cm, basally fused, beak ca. 6 mm. Seeds ellipsoid, 3--5 × ca. 3 mm, lustrous. Fl. Apr, fr. May. 2n = 32*.

S Gansu, NW Hubei, S Shaanxi, NW Sichuan.

* Forests, in shade of shrubs; 1100--3700 m.

Helleborus chinensis Maximowicz; H. viridis Linnaeus var. thibetanus (Franchet) Finet & Gagnepain.

Helleborus thibetanus, the Tibetan hellebore, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to China, in S Gansu, NW Hubei, S Shaanxi and NW Sichuan.

This rhizomatous perennial has a clump of smooth, finely serrated ovate leaves, which appear from early spring to midsummer. The papery, cup shaped flowers are borne in early Spring. They open white, turning pink and finally green.

This hellebore prefers a moist, shaded and sheltered position in neutral or slightly alkaline soil. Like many hellebores, leaves may be attacked by leaf spot or virus; so old leaves should be removed before new growth appears.