''Melanthium'' is a genus of

herbaceous perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

plants native to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. They are closely related to '' Veratrum'', and in fact are included in that genus by some authors. The distinction between ''Melanthium'' and ''Veratrum'' is based on various morphological traits, but it is not yet clear where the line is best drawn. They contain alkaloids similar to those found in ''Veratrum'' and are thus assumed to be poisonous.

Species

Th
World Checklist
considers ''Melanthium'' as a synonym of ''Veratrum'', and accepts no species as members of ''Melanthium.'' Nor does

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

br>Tropicos
does likewise, adding that proposals have been made to reject the name ''Melanthium'' entirely.Zomlefer, W. B., W. S. Judd & K.N. Gandhi. 2010. (1928) Proposal to conserve the name ''Veratrum'' against ''Melanthium'' (Melanthiaceae). Taxon 59(2): 644-645.The Plant List
World Flora Online an
Flora of North America
however, do accept the following names in ''Melanthium:'' * '' Melanthium latifolium'' or '' Veratrum hybridum'' - eastern United States from Connecticut to Alabama and Arkansas * '' Melanthium parviflorum'' or '' Veratrum parviflorum'' - southern Appalachians from Virginia to Alabama * '' Melanthium virginicum'' or ''

Veratrum virginicum ''Veratrum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Melanthiaceae. It occurs in damp habitats across much of temperate and subarctic Europe, Asia, and North America. ''Veratrum'' species are vigorous herbaceous perennials with highly poiso ...

'' - eastern United States and Mississippi Valley from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

to Iowa south to Texas and Florida * ''

Melanthium woodii ''Melanthium woodii'', common names Wood's bunchflower or Ozark bunch-flower, is a species formerly known as ''Veratrum woodii''. It is native to the central and southeastern parts of the United States, from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, ...

'' or '' Veratrum woodii'' - central + southeastern United States

References

Melanthiaceae Melanthiaceae genera Flora of the United States {{Liliales-stub