Ado'nis verna'lis, Adonis, Pheasant's Eye, False Hellebore, N.F. -- The dried overground portion with not more than 5 p.c. of foreign organic matter; N. Europe, Asia, cultivated for ornament. Plant 15-50 Cm. (6-20') high, leaves light green, pinnatifid; flowers yellow, stem glabrous, grooved, soft, weak, fruit, head of ovoid achenes; odor faint; taste bitterish, acrid. Powder, grayish-green -- pith parenchyma, tracheae, elliptical stomata, few or no starch grains and calcium oxalate crystals; contains aconitic acid, adonidin (adonin -- consisting largely of aconitic acid) and picroadonidin which is a powerful heart, poison, bitter, amorphous, soluble in water, alcohol, ether. Cardiac stimulant, diuretic, resembles digitalis, being more prompt and non-cumulative, but inferior to it -- increases heart-force and arterial pressure; cardiac failure and dropsy, dyspnea, epilepsy. Dose, gr. 1-2 (.06-.13 Gm.); 1. Fluidextractum Adonidis (75 p.c., alcohol); Adonidin, gr. 1/16-2/3 (.004-.02 Gm.).