DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWEKS. 379 



perfoliata. Perfoliate Bell-wort. A plant, 

 about one foot high. Stem smooth, round, running 

 through the leaves, furnishing a good example of the per- 

 foliate leaves. Flowers pendulous, pale-yellow, in May ; 

 perennial. 



U, grandiflora. Large-flowered Bell-wort. Similar 

 to the foregoing, but larger ; the leaves narrower, the 

 flowers brighter yellow and smooth inside. This is one 

 of the prettiest of the genus, and worth cultivating; 

 hardy perennial. 



VALERIAN A. YALEKIAN. 



[Name from valere, to have efficacy, on account of its medicinal qualities. 1 



The species are generally ornamental garden plants of 

 easy culture in common earth, and preferring a shady, 

 moist situation. 



Valeriana dioica^has usually the stamens and pistils in 

 separate flowers, situated on different plants. This spe- 

 cies, and V. officinalis, are medicinal. Cats are delighted 

 w'th the roots, and rat-catchers employ them as they do 

 the oil of anise, to draw rats together. 



V Phil. Garden Valerian. This is an esteemed bor- 

 der-flower ;- perennial, growing to the height of three 

 or four feet, with large corymbs of white flowers ; highly 

 fragant ; more cultivated for that property than for their 

 beauty. 



V, Pyrenaica. This is a handsome species with umbels 

 of light-red flowers, growing about three feet high. 



VERBASCTIM. MULLEIN. 



[An alteration of the Latin barbascum.] 



Vcrbdscum Thapsas. Common Mullein. No doubt, 

 this species will be considered by many as hardly orna- 

 mental. Everybody knows this tall and very common 



