308 LXXIII. VALERIANACE^. Fedia. 



S. Marylandica. Pink-root. Worm-grass. 



Erect, simple, nearly glabrous ; st. square ; Its. sessile, ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute or acuminate, margin and veins scabrous-pilose; spikes 3 — 8-flowered; 

 c(yr. tube 4 times longer than the calyx ; anth. exserted ; lobes of the cor. lance- 

 olate ; caps, glabrous, shorter than the calyx. — % In woods, Penn. to Flor. W. 

 to 111. Mead, and Tenn. Miss Carpenter! An elegant dark green herb, a foot 

 high. Leaves 3 — 4' by 1^ — 2^', entire, often ovate-acuminate, the stipules 

 scarcely perceptible. Flowers 1^ — 2' long, somewhat club-shaped, scarlet with- 

 out, yellow within. Style exserted. June. — A celebrated anthelmintic. 



Order LXXIII. VALERIANACEiE.— Valerians. 



Herbs, with opposite leaves and no stipules. 



Cal. adherent, the limb either membranous or resembling a pappus. 



Cor. tubular or tunnel-form, 4— 5-lobed, sometimes spurred at base. 



Sta. distinct, inserted into the corolla tube, alternate with, and generally fewer than its lobes. 



Ova. inferior, with one perfect cell, and two abortive ones. 



Sds. Solitary, pendulous, in a dry, indehiscent pericarp. 



Genera 12, species 185, widely diffused in temperate climates The true valerian of the shops, used in 

 hysteria, epilepsy, <tc., is a product of Valeriana officinalis. The roots of several other species possess a 

 heavy odor, and are tonic, antispasmodic, febrifiigal, &c. The spikenard {John xii. 3, &c.) of old, valued 

 as a perfume and a stimulant, is from the root of Nardostachys Jatamansi. 



Genera. 



Limb of the calyx at length a plumose pappus, deciduous Valeriann. 1 



Limb of the calyx toothed and persistent, or obsolete Fedia. 2 



1. VALERIANA. 



Dedicated to king Valerius, a patron and friend of botanists. Linn. 



Calyx at first very small, at length forming a plumose pappus ; 

 corolla funnel-form, regular, 5-cleft ; stamens 3 ; fruit 1-celled, 1- 

 seeded. — % Lvs. opposite.^ mostly ^innately divided. Fls. in close cymes. 



1. V. SYLVATiCA. /?. uliginosa. Wild Valerian. 



St. erect, striate, simple ; radical lvs. ovate or subspatulate, undivided ; 

 cauline ones pinnately divided, segments ovate-lanceolate, entire or subserrate, 

 the terminal one often dentate ; lobes of the stig. minute, 2 or 3 ; fr. ovate, com- 

 pressed, smooth. — Stem 1 — 2f high". Swamps, Vt. ! to Mich., very rare. 

 Plant nearly smooth. Leaves ciliate with scattered hairs ; those of the root 

 petioled, sometimes auriculate at base, those of the stem with 4 — 8 lateral 

 segments and a large terminal one. Flowers numerous, rose-colored, appear- 

 ing in July. 



2. V. PAUciFLORA. Michx. 



Glabrous, erect or decumbent, often stoloniferous at base; radical lvs. 

 ovate, cordate, slightly acuminate, on long petioles, crenate-serrate ; cauline 

 pinnately 3 — 7-parted ; Ifts. ovate, terminal one much the largest ; cymules few- 

 flowered, corymbose ; corolla tube long and slender. — Ohio ! to Va. and Tenn. 

 Stem mostly simple, 1 — 2f high. Leaves of the succors mostly undivided, 1 — 

 l\' by I — U', petioles 1 — 4' long. Flowers pale purple, f in length. Jn. Jl.' 



3. V. ciLiATA. Torr. & Gray. 



Simple, smooth and somewhat fleshy; lvs. lance-linear, some of them 

 pinnately cleft into 3 — 7 lance-linear, acute segments, margins densely and 

 minutely ciliate, mostly attenuated to the base ; cauline ones few, with linear 

 segments ; panicle compound ; fr. compressed, 4-ribbed, crowned with the late 

 calyx limb of 10 or 12 plumose setae. — Low grounds. Can., Wis.! Ohio! Root 

 yellowish, fusiform. Stem 1 — 3f high. Root-leaves many, 3 — 8' long, seg- 

 ments 2—4" wide. Flowers white, in a close panicle, which is greatly expand- 

 ed in fruit. June. 



2. FEDIA. Adans. 



Perhaps from foulus; on account of the strong odor of some of the species. 



Calyx limb 3 — 6-toothed and persistent, or obsolete ; corolla tu- 

 bular, 5-lobed, regular ; stamens 2 or 3 ; fruit 2 or 3-celled, 1 -seeded. 

 — ® Lvs. opposite^ sessile. One or two cells of the fruit abortive. 



