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''Veratrum viride'' (Indian poke, Indian hellebore, false hellebore, green false hellebore) is a species of ''Veratrum'' native to eastern and western (but not central) North America.〔Flora of North America: (''Veratrum viride'' )〕〔USDA Plants Profile: (''Veratrum viride'' )〕〔Germplasm Resources Information Network: (''Veratrum viride'' )〕 It is extremely toxic, and is considered a pest plant by farmers with livestock. The species has acquired a large number of common names within its native range, including American false hellebore, American white hellebore, bear corn, big hellebore, corn lily, devils bite, duck retten, itch-weed, itchweed, poor Annie, blue hellebore, and tickleweed. It is a herbaceous perennial plant reaching 0.7–2 m tall, with a solid green stem. The leaves are spirally arranged, 10–35 cm long and 5–20 cm broad, elliptic to broad lanceolate ending in a short point, heavily ribbed and hairy on the underside. The flowers are numerous, produced in a large branched inflorescence 30–70 cm tall; each flower is 5–12 mm long, with six green to yellow-green tepals. The fruit is a capsule 1.5–3 cm long, which splits into three sections at maturity to release the numerous flat 8–10 mm diameter seeds. The plant reproduces through rhizome growth as well as seeds.〔〔Plants of British Columbia: (''Veratrum viride'' )〕〔Jepson Flora (''Veratrum viride'' )〕〔Columbia River Gorge plants: (Green False Hellebore )〕 There are two varieties:〔 *''Veratrum viride'' var. ''viride''. Eastern North America. Side branches of inflorescence erect or spreading. *''Veratrum viride'' var. ''eschscholzianum'' (Roemer & Schultes) Breitung. Western North America. Side branches of inflorescence drooping. The related western North American ''Veratrum californicum'' (white false hellebore, corn lily) can be distinguished from sympatric var. ''eschscholzianum'' by its whiter flowers, with erect side branches of the inflorescence.〔 ==Distribution and habitat== In eastern North America, var. ''viride'' occurs from southwestern Labrador and southern Quebec south to northern Georgia. In the west, var. ''eschscholzianum'' occurs from Alaska and Northwest Territory south through Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon to northwestern California (Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties).〔〔〔(Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution map )〕〔(Calflora taxon report, University of California, ''Veratrum viride'' Aiton American false hellebore, White false hellebore, green false hellebore )〕 It is found in wet soils in meadows, sunny streambanks, and open forests, from sea level in the north of the range, up to 1,600 m in the southeast and 2,500 m in the southwest.〔〔〔 ==Medicine== The plant is highly toxic, causing nausea and vomiting. If the poison is not evacuated, cold sweat and vertigo appears. Respiration slows, cardiac rhythm and blood pressure falls, eventually leading to death. The toxic effects of veratrum alkaloids are directly induced by antagonism of adrenergic receptors. It is used externally by several Native American nations. Although is rarely ever used in modern herbalism due to its concentration of various alkaloids, it has been used in the past against high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat; a standardized extract of ''V. viride'' alkaloids known as ''alkavervir'' was used in the 1950s and 1960s as an antihypertensive. The root contains even higher concentrations than the aerial parts.〔Plants for a Future: (''Veratrum viride'' )〕 The plant was used by some tribes to elect a new leader. All the candidates would eat the root, and the last to start vomiting would become the new leader.〔Fleurbec Group (ed), 1981, ''Plantes cauvages comestibles''. Saint-henri-de-Lévis, Quebec, Canada. ISBN 2-920174-03-7〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Veratrum viride」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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