- A genus of perennial herbs (Helleborus) of the Crowfoot
family, mostly 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. - Any plant of several species of the poisonous liliaceous
genus Veratrum, especially V. album and V. viride, both called white
hellebore.
Definition
[ n.]