Green Hellebore - Helleborus viridis

Green Hellebore grows to 40cm with clusters of yellow-green flowers of 3 to 5cm in diameter. The flowers appear just before the leaves. The palmate, toothed leaves are dark green and tough.  The fruits (follicles) are fused for c. a quarter of their length and are sessile.

other Hellebores. H orientalis sensu lato is very similar but with larger flowers, in various colours, and with shortly-stalked fruits (follicles) that are free and not fused to the base.

Check the fruits (follicles) - sessile and partly fused -  and flower size - 3-5cm.

Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required showing the flowering plants in its habitat, with details of fruits and flower-size. If the photo doesn't show the key ID features then in the comments box describe the size and identifying characters you have observed.

Prefers rather shady habitats, usually on chalk or limestone, found in woodland glades, rocky dingles and old hedge banks. As well as our native populations, it often occurs as an escape or introduction from cultivation.

Flowering between February and May.

Perennial herb. Populations are often small, but persist over many years without obvious changes in numbers.

Believed to be native in Southern England and Wales, but introduced plants grow as far north as central Scotland.

Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.

In the current checklist (Jeeves, 2011) it is listed as alien (neophyte); woodland; rare