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Hellebore. [Obs.] Chaucer.

having powerfully cathartic and even poisonous qualities. H. niger is the European black hellebore, or Christmas rose, blossoming in winter or earliest spring. H. officinalis was the officinal hellebore of the ancients.

A poisonous glucoside accompanying helleborin in several species of hellebore, and extracted as a white crystalline substance with a bittersweet taste. It has a strong action on the heart, resembling digitalin.

The herb wolfsbane, or monkshood; -- applied to any plant of the genus Aconitum (tribe Hellebore), all the species of which are poisonous.

A species of hellebore (Helleborus foetidus), with digitate leaves. It has an offensive smell and acrid taste, and is a powerful emetic, cathartic, and anthelmintic.

h is much used for decoration in winter. -- Christmas flower, Christmas rose, the black hellebore, a poisonous plant of the buttercup family, which in Southern Europe often produces beautiful roselike flowers midwinter. -- Christmas tree, a small evergreen tree, set up indoors, to be decorated with bonbons, presents,…

A poisonous glucoside found in several species of hellebore, and extracted as a white crystalline substance with a sharp tingling taste. It possesses the essential virtues of the plant; -- called also elleborin.

The practice or theory of using hellebore as a medicine.

d States in rich woods. Gray. -- Indian poke (Bot.), a plant usually known as the white hellebore (Veratrum viride). -- Indian pudding, a pudding of which the chief ingredients are Indian meal, milk, and molasses. -- Indian purple. (a) A dull purple color. (b) The pigment of the same name, intensely blue and black.…

A poisonous alkaloid resembling veratrine, and found with it in white hellebore (Veratrum album); -- called also jervina.

The black hellebore. [Obs.] Spenser.

Veratric acid (Chem.), an acid occurring, together with veratrine, in the root of white hellebore (Veratrum album), and in sabadilla seed; -- extracted as a white crystalline substance which is related to protocatechuic acid.

A poisonous alkaloid obtained from the root hellebore (Veratrum) and from sabadilla seeds as a white crystalline powder, having an acrid, burning taste. It is sometimes used externally, as in ointments, in the local treatment of neuralgia and rheumatism. Called also veratria, and veratrina.