wn to produce flowers varying more or less
in colour; and we also know that an individual blossom, during the long
period in which the sepals keep good, often changes its tints and
colours, but we are scarcely prepared to hear that a species has
greenish-white flowers, whilst we have always seen a rosy or rosy-purple
one produced. Still, the information from another source, that _H.
orientalis_ is a species intermediate between _H. niger_ and _H.
viridis_, would seem to favour the greenish-white as the typical colour;
be that as it may, it is most likely that the more desirable
rosy-flowered variety will prevail in flower gardens, that being the
general recognised colour of the type, and moreover, one which renders
it pleasingly distinct in the whole genus. There are hybrid kinds which
have been raised from this species crossed with _H. viridis_ and,
perhaps, others, and some of them have greenish-white flowers; but they
should not be confounded with the species under notice. These varieties
have received such names as _H. orientalis elegans_, _H. o.
viridescens_, and _H. o. punctatus_. If hybrids are to be honoured with
specific names, it will require much care to avoid confusion, and it is
just possible that some such causes have led to the various descriptions
above referred to. The type under notice is fairly distinct, and the
amateur having a slight acquaintance with the Hellebore family will have
little difficulty in making it out.

The flowers are produced on forked stems, and are accompanied by
finely-cut floral leaves, nearly sessile and palmate; the radical leaves
are large, pedate, downy underneath, having long stalks, and remaining
green throughout winter. The habit is to push the stout flower stems
well up above the foliage, sometimes as high as 18in.; the flowers are
very durable, at least the major parts--as the sepals--are, the stamens
and petals falling somewhat sooner than those of most species; if
different positions are given to a few specimens, flowers may be had
from Christmas to Lent, according to amount of shelter or exposure
therein obtained for the plants.

There are facts connected with this plant, as other than a garden
subject, which can hardly fail to be generally interesting. "This is the
Black Hellebore of the ancients," so that, though _H. niger_ bears the
name and is known to be largely possessed of properties similar to those
of the oriental species, it is proved to be wrongly applied