Wood'S Bunchflower (Veratrum woodii)
Description
“Pet poisonous” – Toxic parts: roots, leaves, seeds Melanthium woodii, common names Wood's bunchflower or Ozark bunch-flower, is a species formerly known as Veratrum woodii. It is native to the central and southeastern parts of the United States, from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee. It can be found in forested areas at elevations less than 800 m (2700 feet). Melanthium woodii is a perennial herb forming bulbs up to 1.6 cm (0.64 inches) and spreading by means of underground rhizomes. Leaves are elliptic to oblanceolate, up to 50 cm long. Inflorescences can be up to 60 cm (2 feet) long. The flowers contain the most distinguishing features of the species, as no other species in the genus has chocolate brown tepals and tomentose young ovaries. Veratrum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Melanthiaceae.It occurs in damp habitats across much of temperate and subarctic Europe, Asia, and North America. Veratrum species are vigorous herbaceous perennials with highly poisonous black rhizomes, and panicles of white or brown flowers on erect stems.In English they are known as both false hellebores and corn lilies. Veratrum is not closely related to hellebores, nor do they resemble them.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Liliales
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Family: Melanthiaceae
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Genus: Veratrum
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