Either from the Greek epipaktis or epipegnuo, the name adopted for this genus which was originally called hellebore, and which refers to a milk-curdling property claimed for some species
Species
helleborine
From the Greek helleboros, the name of a kind of plant called the hellebore, a genus of some 15 species native mostly to Europe and especially the Balkans. Despite the common names of a couple of helleborine species, Christmas rose and Lenten rose, they are actually in the buttercup family