1. Veratrum woodii J.W. Robbins (false hellebore)

Pl. 107 a–c; Map 446

Plants perennial, with short, stout rhizomes, lacking the odor of onion or garlic. Aerial stems 60–180 cm long, unbranched below the inflorescence, erect or nearly so, pubescent with minute, curly hairs. Leaves several, glabrous, mostly basal, those on the aerial stems linear, greatly reduced, and bractlike, the basal leaves 30–50 cm long, elliptic to broadly oblanceolate, flat or somewhat corrugated. Inflorescences at the tips of the aerial stems, panicles of numerous flowers, the lower branches with functionally staminate flowers, the remainder with mostly functionally pistillate or perfect flowers. Flowers with stalks 2–6 mm long, subtended by small bracts, none of them replaced by bulblets. Perianth 6–9 mm long, the sepals and petals free, oblanceolate, lacking a stalklike base and glands, but sometimes pubescent with minute, curly hairs on the upper (inner) surface when young, maroon to purplish brown, turning dark purplish green after flowering. Stamens 6, fused to the base of the perianth. Styles 3, each with a small stigma. Ovary superior, with 3 locules, each with 4–10 ovules. Fruits 18–25 mm long, ovoid, deeply 3-lobed capsules, the lobes beaked with the persistent styles. Seeds winged. 2n=16. July–September.

Scattered, widespread in Missouri, most common in the Ozark Division, but apparently absent from the Mississippi Lowland Division and the western third of the state (southeastern U.S. north to Ohio and Iowa). Mesic upland forests of moist, north- and east-facing, lower slopes.

Ebinger (1993) has studied the habitats, associated species, and phenology of V. woodii in Illinois. Flowering in this species is sporadic, appearing to be promoted by fire. At many of the extant sites, the characteristic, broad, corrugated rosette leaves are produced in early spring, but few or none of the plants produce an inflorescence. When produced, the flowers appear perfect morphologically, but those on the lower branches of the inflorescence are mostly functionally staminate and do not develop into fruits. The plants contain poisonous alkaloids.