Are these Hellebores?

This time last year, a blogging friend (Elaine from "Ramblings at Rosebank") kindly gave me some seeds from a beautiful Hellebore plant whose deep purple flowers I had admired. I sowed half of the seeds in two little pots and kept them indoors hoping they would germinate. After several months had elapsed without any sign of seedlings emerging, I lost patience and gave up. I tipped the compost from the pots onto my flower border. It was only later that someone told me that Hellebore seeds require vernalization before they will germinate! That first batch of seeds had been sown in the Spring and was discarded in the Autumn, so it had never experienced any cold weather.

Now the good news. I think some of the seeds from the discarded pots have germinated! I'm not sure, but I think these might be Hellebore seedlings:

There were six seeds in the discarded batch. At present I see only two seedlings that appear to be likely candidates for Hellebores, but they are in just the place where I tipped out those two pots last Autumn



What do you think? Can anyone give me a positive identification?

Meanwhile, having appreciated the requirement for vernalization, I sowed the other Hellebore seeds in a terracotta pot and put them out in the garden to take their chances.

No sign of any germination yet, but now I'm hopeful of a good result.

Thanks, Elaine! (I hope you read this).