Veratrum californicum
Plant species in the bunchflower family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Veratrum californicum (California corn lily, white or California false hellebore) is an extremely poisonous plant[3] native to western North America, including the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, as far north as Washington and as far south as Durango; 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 a cornstalk.[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 | |
|---|---|
| |
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] | |
| |
Veratrum californicum displays mast 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]
- Varieties[4]
- Veratrum californicum var. californicum – from Washington to Durango
- Veratrum californicum var. caudatum (A.Heller) C.L.Hitchc. – Idaho, Washington, Oregon, N California
Teratogenic effects
It is a source of jervine, muldamine and cyclopamine, teratogens which can cause prolonged gestation associated with birth defects[9] such as holoprosencephaly and cyclopia in animals such as sheep,[3] horses, and other mammals that graze upon it. These substances inhibit the hedgehog signaling pathway.[10]
Gallery
Swath of corn lilies in meadow
Leaves on a young plant
Closeup of flowers
California false hellebore (Veratrum californicum) is an extremely poisonous plant - this one found in Clackamas County, Oregon, U.S.A. 2026.
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