POLEMONIUM 



POLEMONIUM. 



GREEK VALERIAN. JACOB'S- 

 LADDER 



Polcmonium rcptans 



From the Greek, polcmos, war. 



Perennial. Alluvial bottoms. New York to Minnesota, 

 south to Georgia and Kansas. Frequent in northern 

 Ohio. April, May. 



Ste7n. — Smooth, branching, twelve to eighteen inches 

 high, erect or declined; often stained at base. 



Leaves. — Alternate, pin- 

 nately divided, leaflets five to 

 fifteen, opposite or irregular, 

 ovate-lanceolate or oblong, 

 entire, an inch or more long, 

 acute; petiole winged. 



Flowers. — Blue-violet bells 

 in loose, few-flowered clus- 

 ters, terminating the 

 branches. 



Calyx. — Bell-like, smooth, 

 veiny, finally five-lobed. 



Corolla.— Open bell, border 

 five-lobed; lobes short, 

 rounded. 



Stamens. — Five, inserted 

 on the tube of the corolla; 

 declined, hairy at base. 



Pistil.— Ovary three-celled; 

 style single; stigmas three. 



Fruit. — Globose-oblong capsule, mostly three-seeded; 

 seeds emit spiral threads when moistened. 



By a curious interchange of terms, this plant has 

 obtained the name of Greek Valerian, which probably 



193 



Greek Valerian. Polemonium reptans 



