a commercial preparation containing a mixture of material from other species such as Helleborus viridis, green hellebore. Uses In the early days of medicine, two kinds of hellebore were recognized: black hellebore, which included various species of Helleborus, and white hellebore, now known as Veratrum album, which belongs to a different plant family, the Melanthiaceae. Although the latter plant is highly toxic, containing veratrine and the teratogens cyclopamine (which can cause the fatal birth defect of cyclopia) and jervine, it is believed to be the "hellebore" used by Hippocrates as a purgative. Despite its toxicity, "black hellebore" was used by the Greek and Romans to treat paralysis, gout and other diseases, more particularly insanity. Culture H. niger is commonly called the Christmas rose, due to an old legend that it sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift to give the Christ Child in Bethlehem. In Greek mythology, Melampus of Pylos used hellebore to save the daughters of the king of Argos from a madness, induced by Dionysus, that caused them to run naked through the city, crying, weeping, and screaming. During the Siege of Kirrha in 585 BC, hellebore was reportedly used by the Greek besiegers to poison the city's water supply. The defenders were subsequently so weakened by diarrhea that they were unable to defend the city from assault. In a fit of madness induced by Hera, Heracles killed his children by Megara. His madness was cured using hellebore. Gallery Species Hybrids See also Christmas flowers Veratrum References Orphan reference: Graham Rice & Elizabeth Strangman, The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores, David & Charles/Timber Press (1993) Orphan reference: Brian Mathew, Hellebores, Alpine Garden Society (1989) External links A French hellebore enthusiast's non-commercial site The National Collection of Hellebore species and hybrids, Hazles Cross Farm Nursery (Staffordshire, UK) contains all known species plus hundreds of garden hybrids Flora Europaea: Helleborus Hellebores.org: A comprehensive online resource on the genus Helleborus National collection of Hellebores RHS plant pathology report on 'Hellebore Black Death' disease (pdf) Growing Guide Christmas plants Garden plants Ranunculaceae genera Abortifacients