The stinking hellebore, as its name implies, has a most unpleasant odour, and the leaves of the tooth-leaved maiden plum of the West Indies, when bruised, emit a sulphurous smell, and birds that happen to break them are said to fall asphyxiated and are unable to fly away for some time afterwards.
- from The Mystery and Lure of Perfume
C.J.S. Thompson 1927
photo: helleborus foetidus, dungwort, bear's foot 2007 wildfeuer
image: hellebores officinalis, Ferdinand Bauer 1795 (?)
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Specimens: from Simon Garbutt's garden, his scan of helleborus foetidus, with cross-section, helleborus viridis; several different helleborus x hybridus;
includes 2 double flowers; pale cream bred by Ashwoods; dark purple bred by Harveys 2006
