C. graecum
         H. cyclophyllus
         Delphinium sp.
         M. sylvestris
         Althaea sp.
         C. incanus
         C. salviifolius
         E. hispanica
         Viola sp.
         E. elaterium

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Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

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Loading image. Please wait Hellebore (Helleborus cyclophyllus) :: 2002/02/23 :: Agios Lavrendios :: © A.Papadopoulos Hellebore (Helleborus cyclophyllus) :: 2002/02/23 :: Agios Lavrendios :: © A.Papadopoulos No image! No image! No image!

Hellebore

Helleborus cyclophyllus

Behaving as a true herbaceous  perennial and losing its leaves in winter, the Hellebore reaches a height of approximately 40 - 60 cm (15 3/4 - 232/3 in). Young, emerging leaves may, on occasion, have a slightly reddish tint and are frequently covered with a fine coating of thin, silvery hairs on the undersides, which become less obvious as the foliage matures, eventually disappearing in most plants.

Helleborus cyclophyllus starts to flower as early as January, but is usually at its best around February or March. Its flowers are bowl-shaped, pale yellowish-green, between 40 and 60 mm (1 1/2 - 2 1/3 in), with broad  sepals. It grows on the margins of woods or in thickets, but also sometimes on grassy slopes. It is typically a mountain species, but not exclusively so and, like other Hellebores, favors limestone country.

The specimen shown here was photographed on the edge of a wooded area, near Agios Lavrendios, Pelion. It was growing in the company of Delphiniums and Crocuses.

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Fact Sheet

Type of plant
Perennial herb

Flowering Season
January - May

Known Hazards
Not sure. However, it pays to be cautious, inasmuch as other closely related Hellebore species possess hazardous properties. In particular, all parts of Helleborus foetidus, Helleborus niger and Helleborus viridis are poisonous and their poison can possibly be absorbed through the skin. In addition, the fresh root of Helleborus niger can be a violent irritant to sensitive skin.

Known Uses
Not sure. Other Hellebore species have been used, over the years, to treat a wide variety of conditions, from hypertension to cardiac problems. Due to the plant's toxicity, however, its use is inadvisable.

Habitat
Woods, thickets and hillslopes, on rather dry soils.

Distribution
S. Yugoslavia and the Balkans, extending into the northern Peloponnese, but no further south. Absent from the islands.


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Taxonomy


Kingdom: Plantae (Plants); Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular plants); Superdivision: Spermatophyta (Seed plants); Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants); Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons); Subclass: Magnoliidae; Order: Ranunculales; Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family); Genus: Helleborus; Species: cyclophyllus

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Acknowledgments


Most of the descriptive text on this page was obtained from the "Hellebores" site. As usual, information on the plant's edible and medicinal uses was obtained from "Plants for a Future".

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