GAMOPETAL^ 291 



one to five, alternate with the petals. The filaments 

 are slender. The anthers project, open inwards, and 

 are versatile. The pistil is syncarpous, with three 

 carpels. The style is slender, the one to three stigmas 

 blunt or two- to three-lobed. The ovary is one- to 

 three-celled. 



The fruit is small, an achene, dry and indehiscent, 

 crowned with the calyx and pappus in two cases. 

 Two of the cells are empty. 



The group includes plants that have aromatic, 

 anti-spasmodic, and stimulant properties. 



The Spikenard is included in this group, and is the 

 Nardus of the older authors. Some of these plants 

 are employed as salads, as Lamb's Lettuce, Spur 

 Valerian. The latter has an intoxicating effect on 

 cats, and the seeds were used in embalming. 



Marsh Valerian (Valeriana dioica). 



This is an example of a plant in which the male 

 flowers are borne on a different plant to that which 

 bears the female flowers, or dioecious (hence dioica). 

 In the first Latin and second English names refer- 

 ence is made to the medicinal properties, both being 

 derived from valere. The English prefix indicates 

 the preference of the plant for a marshy habitat. It 

 is of practical use when the names, scientific and 

 vernacular^ of a plant thus convey compendial infor- 

 mation, and all nomenclature should, where possible, 

 aim at the invention of such mnemonics or aids to 



