The main thing when navigating around the greenhouses is to avoid the plants that can immediately put you in danger. Greenhouse four houses some particularly nasty plants. Greenhouse four is the current home of our Fanged Geraniums and Venomous Tentacula. While the bites from Fanged Geraniums are not poisonous, they tend to be quite deep and can cause serious damage. While a bite on the finger might not pose much difficulty (unless it becomes infected), if a Fanged Geranium was able to pierce down in a more vital spot, it could prove to be quite lethal. Though we do not have any here, another plant that has similar biting tendencies is the Chinese Chomping Cabbage. Venomous Tentacula on the other hand, as the name suggests, are quite poisonous. Venomous Tentacula hold some restraint when they are fully grown, but when in the seedling stage and teething stages, they tend to lash out upon anything they can reach. Our own prior Headmistress lost her husband to an unfortunate incident with a Venomous Tentacula.

Greenhouse five is home to our Mandrakes. Mandrakes, also known as Mandragora, are particularly helpful in restorative draughts and are a very important plant to cultivate. However, when they mature, their cry will kill you. We are safe while the Mandrakes are properly potted--though if you plan to repot or harvest them, you best be wearing approved ear protection! While they are still young, the mandrakes do not pose any life threatening risk, but they can still knock you out for a few hours.

Though you will not find it in one of the greenhouses, the castle does house a particularly old Devil's Snare. If you find yourself unfortunate enough to find it, turn the other way. Devil's Snare will grab hold of you with its tendrils and bind you so tightly that you will either find yourself choked or crushed to death. The Devil's Snare is a specimen that loves to live in the dark, dank places. If you cannot turn and flee, try to keep calm and cast a charm to conjure fire. It will shrink away from it. Now that I've said that, if I catch any of you trying to find it, you'll find yourself in detention instead.

Since we've gotten some of our more aggressive flora out of the way, I'd also like to talk about a few plants that we tend to here at Hogwarts that can be poisonous when ingested. You may notice that some of these ingredients are used in some of our more common potions. When the potions are brewed correctly, it should negate any of the toxic effect of these ingredients.

One of our more extremely poisonous plants is wolfsbane. This plant is also known as aconite or monkshood. It is a particularly useful plant, however, especially if you suffer from lycanthropy. It is used in making the Wolfsbane Potion--which if taken before a full moon will help a werewolf retain his human mind and to lessen some of the more painful side effects of the change.

Mistletoe berries are also an ingredient you do not want to eat. Although they are useful in making antidotes, these small white berries are poisonous if eaten alone.

Hellebore is another can be toxic. Not all varities of hellebore are toxic, but many are. Many of the ones that we as witches and wizards grow are of the poisonous variety. Syrup of Hellebore is used in potion-making, however I would not recommend extracting the substance straight from the plant without the proper training. If done incorrectly, the syrup can turn your potion into a poison.

Your assignment today is to identify these flora by the descriptions provided below. Answers should be sMailed to Mary.

Each correct answer will earn 2 House Points for a total of 10 House Points maximum.

1. I am no ordinary flower, though I'm named after one. I come in different colors, but most commonly I come in red and purple. Keep away or I'll bite!

2. I also am a flowering plant that comes in a variety of colors, but mainly white or purple. Some of me are toxic, and some are not.

3. Around the holidays, I'm used as a traditional decoration. My berries are small and white.

4. My vines just want to hug, but I always hug too tight! You'll find me in the deepest, darkest dungeon out of sight of the light.

5. I go through stages just like a human. The risk of death by my cry is outweighed by the reward of my restorative properties.

Early Bird Special This assignment is due at the end of term. However, I will be doing something called the Early Bird Special. For everyone that sends in their answers before January 9th at 11:59PM Subeta time, you get entered into a special Herbology gift pack giveaway. All you have to do is turn in your assignment before the above date, then offer 0sp on this trade lot.