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Vol. VI, No. 9.] BuLLetin of THE Torrey Boranicat C.us. [New York, Sept., 1875. 
§ 48. Valeriana sylvatica, Richards—This rare plant, which 
has been found in only two or three places in the State and then 
in the northern and western part, grows very abundantly in some of 
the marshes and swamps about Pine Plains. I detected it first last 
October, in a large marsh two or three miles south of the village. 
. Having never seen V. sylvatica before, I was unable at the time 
fully to identify it, as there were no signs of flowers or fruit,—only 
the radical leaves remaining, and these, contrary to description, be- 
ing much toothed. I potted a fine specimen, and kept it with the 
other house plants, and, in the latter part of January, it came out 
in full bloom, but, by an unlucky accident, the stem was broken 
before the fruit matured. In the latter part of May, the plants in 
the marshes were in blossom. There were acres of them, and the 
marshes were whitened by their showy corymbs, like some meadows 
by the ox-eye daisy. A few were tinged with the color of the rose, 
but most of them were simply white. When growing in such pro- 
fusion, in blossom they make a showy spectacle, and the striking 
effect produced cannot fail to attract the attention of the most 
indifferent rustic. During the past month Ihave found V. sylvatica 
growing in three or four other marshes and swamps, which are in 
different directions from the village, and six or seven miles pee S58 
. a> 
Though flourishing as luxuriantly, it shows a wider range than 
concolor, Ging., which with us is confined to one habitat. The plant 
which grows here, may turn out to be a variety of V. sylvatica, as it 
does not tally very well with the descriptions given, not only in the 
root leaves which are coarsely toothed,—crenate,— most of them 
having two or three pairs of lobes each, the bases of all being very 
oblique, but the flowers also show a dissimilarity to the typi- 
cal characteristics of the species. The fruit may differ also, but I 
have not yet been able to obtain any nearly mature. Dr. Gray 
gives its habitat in “Cedar swamps,” but no cedar, of any kind 
grows in our marshes or swamps, although Juniperus Virginiana, 
L., grows very abundantly on our surrounding hills. Its most 
noticeable companion plants, that is, growing together with or in 
close proximity to it, are Betula pumila, L., Rhamnus alnifolius, 
L’Her., Myrica Gale, L., Viburnum Opulus, L., Menyanthes trifolia, 
L., Ledum latifolium, Ait., Chiogenes hispidula, Torr. and Gr., 
Salix candida, Willd., S. myrtilloides, L.., Cypripedium spectabile, 
Swartz, ete. The marshes are a little lower than the village, which 
is about 300 feet above Hudson River or the sea. Considering the 
rarity of V. sylvatica in this part of our country, I trust its detection 
in Pine Plains will be regarded as a very good addition to the Flora 
of the lower Hudson River Valley,—since, so far as I have learned, 
it has not been found so far south in this part of the United States. 
The following are its habitats previously known in New York, 
according to Prof. Peck, the State Botanist ; Wayne County, near 
Lake Ontario; West Bergen Swamp, Genesee County ; and Warren, 
Herkimer a 3 
Prive Prains, N. Y., July 8th, 1875. Lyman H. Hoysrapr. 
