[MPWG] False hellebore - toxic nectars?

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

The message below was posted over another listserve.  Since the species in
question, false hellebore (VERATRUM VIRIDE; Liliaceae), is a medicinal
plant, I thought that you may have input on some the questions raised in
the e-mail....

Here are several urls regarding medicinal aspects of this species that may
be germane:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Veratrum+viride
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Vitamins/Herbs/Veratrum_viride.html
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/toc.html
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/hazeltons/hellbore.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2362117&dopt=Abstract

-Patricia

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>



Dear list members,

I have been working with a common forested wetland species (false
hellebore;
Veratrum viride; Liliaceae) that, according to the literature, is reputed
to
have toxic nectar (a fascinating topic in itself!). I am intrigued by the
number of arthropod orders and species that visit the flowers in particular
ants. Do many of the visitors end up dead? In the pollinator literature
ants
are usually described as ineffective pollinators at best. My questions are:
1. What are inexpensive yet effective assays to evaluate toxicity without
elaborate captive colonies of insects? What sort of time frame is necessary
to evaluate toxicity? I imagine much of this is species-specific. Finally,
how much would a nectar chemical profile cost? By the way, I have reviewed
the literature on the toxins in the plant, largely alkaloids, but the slant
is toward pharmacology; little natural history has been published on V.
viride. Any hints, suggestions, references etc. would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Scott

---
Scott Ruhren, Ph.D.
Director of Properties and Acquisitions
Audubon Society of Rhode Island
12 Sanderson Road
Smithfield, RI 02917-2600

401-949-5454 (Ext. 3004)