COMPOSITAE. 57 
VALERIANA OFFICINALIS, 
LINNAUS. 
GREAT WILD VALERIAN. 
Sex. Syst.—Triandria Monogynia. 
Gen. Cuar.—Limb of the calyz rolled up during flowering, then unrolled into a deciduous feathery pappus, con- 
sisting of many plumose sete. Corolla obconical, or cylindrical,—equal at base or gibbous, but without a spur; limb 
bluntly five cleft, rarely three-fid. Stamens three. Fruit indehiscent; when ripe, one-celled, one-seeded. (Lindley. ) 
Specir. Cuar.—Root tuberous (very fibrous), somewhat creeping, fetid. Stem about four feet high, furrowed. 
Leaves pinnate; leaflets coarsely serrated ; those of the radical leaves broadest, approaching toovate. Pamicles eymose, 
contracted. Bracteole ovate, lanceolate, acuminate, herbaceous, membranous at the edge, compressed, rather longer than 
the ovary. Calyx superior, rolled inwards in the form of a rounded thickened rim. Corolla white, funnel shaped, 
smooth; the tube gibbous at the base on that side of the flower turned away from the axis; hairy internally; limb 
spreading, divided into five, nearly equal, concave, linear, rounded lobes. Stamens three, exserted, white, from the 
middle of the tube of the corolla. Ovary inferior, narrow, oblong, compressed, one-celled, with a single pendulous 
ovule. Style filiform. Stigma divided into three filiform lobes. Fruit light brown, linear ovate, compressed, with a 
slightly elevated ridge on one side, terminated by the permanent calyx, whose limb has unrolled into twelve filiform 
plumose recurved segments, crowning it like a pappus. (Landley.) 
This is a European plant essentially, although it is cultivated in this country, and from its tall and erect stature, 
deep green and shining leaves and pinkish-white flowers, constitutes an ornament to the gardens. It varies its character 
so as to present decided varieties, principally marked in the size of the plant and the expansion or contraction of the 
leaves. It flowers in June. 
The root is the officinal portion. It consists of a short, tuberculated rhizome, beset with a great number of fibres, 
which are from two to six inches long, delicate, white internally, but brownish externally, becoming darker by +P te 
and then rolling themselves into the form of balls. The odour is strong and peculiar, the taste warm, bitterish and 
unpleasant. Ifina 
The sensible properties of odour and taste vary according to the position in which the plant has wren a : 
“te soil, the vital efforts seem to be expended on the herbaceous portions, pile. the root less charged wi te 
ar principles, while, on the contrary, if the soil has been dry, the reverse is the case. ; ae 
This Rot contains volatile oil aa an acid to which japan of valerianic has been given. The oil (valerole) ai 
ists in the fresh state: b tion it is converted into the acid, as observed by Gerhardt. The two — : . | 
; by oxygenation se also contains resin and 
roots. The acid forms salts with bases, some of which are employed as medicinal agents. It 
extractive. ee ‘ yor 
Valerian is a stimulant and antispasmodic, employed in nervous affections, and m seeps rere ge ae 
of neuralgia, or diseases with nervous complications. It is used in powder, infusion, tincture 
Sometimes employed. . with the fruit. 
Pirate XLVII.—Represents the plant in flower, the magnified flower and the metamorphosed caly%, jre 
COMPOSIT&. 
ADANSON. 
Sywantuen.—R le. Asreriacex.—Lindley. +. without stipules, usually simple 
Essentiaz Sie Se eee plants or shrubs. Leaves alternate or ai paste a dense heads upon @ 
but commonly much divided. Flowers (called florets) unisexual or peli Tt so present, stationed at the base 
common receptacle, surrounded by an involucre. Bracts either  aasly odbering to the ovary, and undisti 
of the florets, and called palee of the receptacle. Calyx superior, close 
VOL, i, 15 
