~Helleborus hyemalis. Winter Hellebore, or Aconite.~
Calyx 0. Petala 5 sive plura. Nectaria bilabiata, tubulata. Capsulæ polyspermæ erectiusculæ.
HELLEBORUS _hyemalis_ flore folio infidente. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p._ 431. _Sp. Pl. p._ 783.
ACONITUM unifolium bulbosum. _Bauh. Pin._ 183.
The Winter's Wolfesbane. _Park. Parad. p._ 214.
Grows wild in Lombardy, Italy, and Austria, affects mountainous situations, flowers with us in February, and hence is liable to be cut off by severe frosts. "Is propagated by offsets, which the roots send out in plenty. These roots may be taken up and transplanted any time after their leaves decay, which is generally by the beginning of June till October, when they will begin to put out new fibres; but as the roots are small and nearly the colour of the ground, so if care is not taken to search for them, many of the roots will be left in the ground. These roots should be planted in small clusters, otherwise they will not make a good appearance, for single flowers scattered about the borders of these small kinds are scarce seen at a distance; but when these and the Snowdrops are alternately planted in bunches, they will have a good effect, as they flower at the same time, and are much of a size." _Millers Gard. Dict._
[Footnote A: Most of the Hellebores vary greatly in the number of their pistils, which in general are too few to justify the placing those plants in the order Polygynia.]
Corolla rotata, reflexa, tubo brevissimo fauce prominente. Bacca tecta capsula.
CYCLAMEN _Coum_ foliis orbiculatis planis, pediculis brevibus, floribus minoribus. _Miller's Dict._
CYCLAMEN hyemale orbiculatis foliis inferius rubentibus purpurascente flore; Coum Herbariorum. _Hort. reg. Paris._ _Herm. Cat._
CYCLAMEN orbiculato folio inferne purpurascente. _Bauh. Pin. p._ 307.
The common round-leav'd Sowebread. _Park. Parad. p._ 198.
Grows wild in many parts of Italy and Germany, and is sometimes found with white flowers; if the season be mild, or the plants sheltered from the inclemency of the weather, this species will flower as early as February, or much earlier by artificial heat.
As it grows naturally in woods and shady places, it will thrive best in a mixture of bog-earth and loam placed in a north border; if planted in the open border, it will require to be covered with a hand-glass during winter, and in the spring, when in bloom; the more usual method with gardeners is to preserve them in pots in a common hot-bed frame, the advantage of this method is that they may, at any time, be removed to decorate the parlour or the study.