| Veratrum californicum | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Melanthiaceae |
| Genus: | Veratrum |
| Species: | V. californicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Veratrum californicum | |
| Varieties[2] | |
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Veratrum californicum (California corn lily, white or California false hellebore) is an extremelypoisonous plant[3] native to westernNorth America, including theSierra Nevada andRocky Mountains, as far north asWashington and as far south asDurango; depending on latitude, it grows from near sea level to as high as 11,000 feet.[4][5] It grows 1 to 2 meters tall, with an erect, unbranched, heavily leafy stem resembling acornstalk.[6] It prefers quite moist soil, and can cover large areas in dense stands near streams or in wet meadows. Many inch-wide flowers cluster along the often-branched top of the stout stem; they have 6 white tepals, a green center, 6 stamens, and a 3-branched pistil (see image below). The buds are tight green spheres. The heavily veined, bright green leaves can be more than a foot long.[5]
Veratrum californicum displaysmast seeding; populations bloom and seed little in most years, but in occasional years bloom and seed heavily in synchrony.[7] The species usually blooms during midsummer from July to August.[8]
It is a source ofjervine,muldamine andcyclopamine,teratogens which can cause prolonged gestation associated with birth defects[9] such asholoprosencephaly andcyclopia in animals such as sheep,[3] horses, and other mammals that graze upon it. These substances inhibit thehedgehog signaling pathway.[10]
Authority control databases: National |
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