Eranthis hyemalis#Description

It is a tuberous-rooted herbaceous perennial growing to {{convert|15|cm|0|abbr=on}}, with large ({{convert|2|-|3|cm|0|abbr=on}}), yellow, cup-shaped flowers held above a collar of 3 leaf-like bracts, appearing in late winter and early spring. The six sepals are bright yellow and petaloid, and the petals are of tubular nectaries.{{cite journal |first1=Li |last1=Liangqian |first2=Michio |last2=Tamura |title=Eranthis, Salisbury, Trans. Linn. Soc. London 8: 303. 1807, nom. cons. |journal=Flora of China |volume=6 |pages=148–149 |date=2001 }} There are numerous stamens and usually six unfused carpels. The fruit are follicles each containing several seeds.{{cite book|last=Stace|first=C. A.|authorlink = Stace, C. A.|year=2010|title=New Flora of the British Isles|edition=3|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location = Cambridge, U.K.| isbn=9780521707725}}{{rp|104}}

As a spring ephemeral plant, its life cycle exploits the deciduous woodland canopy, flowering at the time of maximum sunlight reaching the forest floor, then completely dying back to its underground tuber after flowering.

The Latin specific epithet hyemalis means "winter-flowering",{{cite book|last=Harrison|first=Lorraine|title=RHS Latin for gardeners|year=2012|publisher=Mitchell Beazley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=9781845337315|pages=224}} while the name of the genus is a compound of the Greek elements Er 'Spring' and anthos 'flower' - so named for its early flowering.Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening pub. Oxford University Press 1984 Volume II Cochemia-Javanicus

The plant is valued in cultivation as one of the earliest flowers to appear.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}} E. hyemalis{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Eranthis hyemalis |

url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/6540/Eranthis-hyemalis/Details | accessdate=28 January 2020}} and the sterile hybrid cultivar 'Guinea Gold'{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Eranthis hyemalis (Tubergenii Group) 'Guinea Gold' | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/85946/Eranthis-hyemalis-(Tubergenii-Group)-Guinea-Gold/Details|accessdate=28 January 2020}} have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web | url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 35 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | accessdate = 6 February 2018}}

All parts of the plant are poisonous when consumed by humans and other mammals,{{Cite journal|last1=Grunwald|first1=D.|last2=Lütkefels|first2=E.|last3=Wohlsein|first3=P.|date=2002-10-01|title=Intoxication of a dog with winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287010625|journal=Kleintierpraxis|volume=47|issue=10|issn=0023-2076}} because it contains cardiac glycosides similar to those present in Adonis vernalis.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} Glycosides of this type stimulate the heart when administered in small doses, but in very large doses may cause serious, often irreparable heart damage. Poisoning symptoms include colicky abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, disturbed vision, dyspnea, bradycardia, and, in severe cases, cardiac arrest.STARÝ, František, Poisonous Plants (Hamlyn colour guides) – pub. Paul Hamlyn April, 1984, translated from the Czech by Olga Kuthanová. Specific cardiac glycosides present in E.hyemalis include Eranthin A and B, belonging to the bufadienolide group,{{Cite web |url=http://pub.jki.bund.de/index.php/JKA/article/download/85/74 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-05-10 |archive-date=2014-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318213726/http://pub.jki.bund.de/index.php/JKA/article/download/85/74 |url-status=dead }} also found in (and named for) the toad venom bufotoxin.

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{{Wikisource|The_Botanical_Magazine/Volume_I/3|Helleborus hyemalis. (Eranthis hyemalis)}}

{{Commons}}

• [http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=711189-1 IPNI Eranthis hyemalis (L.) Salisb.]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q161553}}

Category:Ranunculaceae

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