Veratrum fimbriatum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Veratrum fimbriatum
Scientific classification
Genus:	Veratrum
Species:	fimbriatum

Veratrum fimbriatum is a special kind of plant often called the fringed false hellebore or fringed corn lily. It is related to the beautiful lily family. This plant is quite rare and only grows naturally in California, especially in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. It likes to live in the northern coastal scrub areas near the coast.

Discovering Fringed False Hellebore

The fringed false hellebore is a strong plant that grows back year after year. This means it is a perennial. It has a thick underground stem called a rhizome, which helps it store food and survive. From this rhizome, a tall, hollow green stem grows upwards.

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Near the bottom of its stem, the fringed false hellebore has several large, flat, green leaves. These leaves are an important part of the plant, helping it make food from sunlight. The plant can grow quite tall, standing out in its natural home.

The Unique Flowers of This Plant

One of the most interesting parts of the fringed false hellebore is its flowers. They grow in a large cluster called a panicle, which looks like a big bunch of flowers on one stem. Each flower is small, about one centimeter wide, but it is very special because it has lacy, fringed edges.

How the Flowers Form

Before a flower opens, it looks like a club-shaped bud. When it blooms, it shows six frilly parts called tepals. Tepals are like petals and sepals combined. Each tepal has two bright green or gold spots, which are actually glands. The part of the flower that will become the fruit, called the ovary, and the outer leaf-like parts, called sepals, stick straight out like a thick stalk.

Seeds and Fruit

After the flower is pollinated, it forms a fruit. This fruit is an oval-shaped capsule, just under a centimeter long. Inside this capsule are the seeds, which will eventually grow into new fringed false hellebore plants.