Helleborus foetidus
Bear's-foot, Dungwort
Ranunculaceae
Late January to April
It is scattered throughout the country, but native
populations are mainly in the South and the
English-Welsh marches.
See the BSBI distribution map for Stinking Hellebore
Stinking Hellebore grows in open habitats, e.g., scree,
rocky ledges, open woodland and hedge banks.
Native populations are mixed with garden escapes.
It is a native, robust, slightly smelly, perennial herb
growing up to 80cm.
Flowers are in drooping clusters, bell-shaped and
green-yellow. They are up to 3cm and made up
of a perianth of 2 whorls.
One whorl comprises 5 concave, ovate purple-
tipped sepals. and the second is of 5 -10 green
tubular nectuaries. These are a third of the length
of the stamens and are a reduced form of petals.
There are up to 55 stamens with cream anthers.
There are 3 carpels and 3 long persistent styles with
small stigmas.
Fruits are follicles with the styles forming a beak.
Leaves are deep green, palmate and weakly
toothed.
The early flowering makes the Stinking Hellibore
an important source of nectar for been and other
insects in the winter.
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Stinking Hellebore, West Dorset
Drooping globose flowers
Purple-tipped sepals
View into corolla: mature and immature
anthers, central styles
Nectaries, stamens and styles
Close-up of nectaries below stamens
Close-up of anthers, carpels,
styles (2of 3) and stigmas
Fruits (follicles) with remains of styles
Leaves
Lanceolate leaf segments
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