Veleriana. triAndria monogynia. 1(57 



somewhat shining above; very pale with fleshy prominent rib 

 and nerves and slightly reticulated veins below ; the lobes at the 

 base more or less marked, sometimes decurrent or entirely wanting. 

 As the stem grows in length they are elevated with it a few inches 

 above the ground and are then perfectly opposite in very approxi- 

 mate pairs. — Stem leaves, two to three or even four very re* 

 mote pairs, pinnate or pinnatifid, the terminal leaflets lanceolate, 

 sinuate-dentate about an inch long, the others in one or two pairs 

 linear-lanceolate, very small. — Petiols cylindric, pubescent, with a 

 deep channel above, tapering from a broad and thick base, twice or 

 thrice longer than the leaf. — Stems several, erect, striated, fistulous, 

 slightly villous, from one to four feet high, as thick as a good goose- 

 quill. — Corymb terminal, crowded at first, but afterwards much length- 

 ened, with opposite slender pubescent peduncles, the lowest one or 

 two pairs of whiph are generally distant and appear like smaller 

 axillary inflorescences; pedicels three or four times forked, capillary, 

 ending into short, few-floVered or crowded racemes. — Bractes linear 

 opposite under each subdivision of the corymb ; lowermost almost as 

 long as the peduncles. — Flowers very small, pale, with scarcely any 

 other calyx than an elevated margin at the top of the ovarium. Corol 

 funnel- shaped with a five-cleft regular border ; its tube naked at the 

 base, villous within. — Seed compressed, with a series of white hairs 

 in the furrows of the ribbed side ; in other respects like that of V. 

 rubra. Gart. Carp. i'l. p. 55. t. SG. 



Obs. I have received abundance of specimens with flowers and 

 fruit from the Honourable Mr- Gardner. He also sent me roots of 

 this interesting plant, which at present (May 1818), are shooting 

 forth numerous large fleshy leaves- Its fibrous root acquires on being 

 dried a strong smell like that of the common valerian and appearing 

 to be permament. It is used medicinally by the natives of Nepak. 



The flowers and seeds seem like those of V. Jatamansi, but in 

 regard to the root and leaves the two plants differ widely. — N. W« 



