180 RUBIACEJE. [Asi-Kiu I.A. 



ascending. Leaves J-l in., close set, 2 of each whorl much smaller than the 

 others, narrow-linear, mucronate, rigid, recurved, not ciliate. <//wl;ix 

 flowered. Corolla % in. diam. , pink and papillose externally, white inside. 

 Fruit minute, papillose. DISTRIB. Europe, from Holland southwards ; N. 

 Africa, Siberia, W. Asia. 



4. SHERAR DIA, DilUn. FlELD-MADDER. 



An annual or biennial herb. Flmvers small, blue or pink, in terminal 

 involucrate heads. Calyx-limb 4-6-toothed, persistent. Corolla funnel- 

 shaped, tube slender ; limb 4-fid. Stamens 4, filaments slender. Sfi/f>- 

 2-fid, stigmas capitate. Fruit didymous, dry, crowned with the enlarged 

 calyx-limb, separating into 2 plano-convex cocci. DISTKIB. Europe, N. 

 Africa, Siberia. ETYM. James Sherard, an eminent botanist. 



1. S. arven'sis, Z; ; leaves 4-6 in a whorl, lower often opposite. 

 Fields and waste places; fl. April-Oct. Hispid. Stems 6-18 in., prostrate, 

 spreading from the root. Leaves ^-f in., oblong-lanceolate, acute. C",i,//" 

 lilac, ^ in. diam. Fruit minute, hispid, crowned by the erect ciliate calyx- 

 teeth. . 



ORDER XL. VALERIA NE;E. 



Herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves opposite, exstipulate. Flowers small, 

 usually irregular, in dichotomous cymes. Calyx superior ; limb lobed or 

 a feathery pappus, involute in bud. Corolla funnel-shaped, tube equal 

 gibbous or spurred at the base ; lobes 3-5, unequal, obtuse, imbricate in 

 bud. Disk small, epigynous. Stamens 1-3 or 5, inserted at the base of 

 the corolla-tube, filaments free slender exserted ; anthers versatile. Ovary- 

 cells 3, 2 .empty or suppressed, 1 with a solitary pendulous anatropous 

 ovule; style simple, filiform, stigma obtuse or 2-3-lobed. Fruit small, 

 indehiscent, coriaceous membranous or woody ; cells 1 fertile and 2 small 

 empty or 0,thelattersometimesconfluent. Seed pendulous, testa membranous, 

 inner coat sometimes thickened, albumen 0; embryo straight, cotyledons 

 oblong, radicle cylindric. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, temp. Asia and 

 N. and S. America, unknown in Australia, one sp. is S. African ; genera 

 12 ; species 185. AFFINITIES. Close with Dipsacece and Compositce. 

 PROPERTIES. Aromatic, antispasmodic, sometimes stimulant. 



Calyx-limb pappose. Corolla-tube gibbous. Stamens 3 1. Valeriana. 



Calyx-limb pappose. Corolla-tube spurred. Stamen 1. 1*. r, /,/,-,;//,//.. 

 Calyx-limb toothed or lobed. Corolla-tube obconic 2. Valerianella. 



1. VALERIA N A, L. VALERIAN. 



Perennial, rarely annual herbs. Radical leaves crowded ; cauline oppo- 

 site or whorled, entire or pinnatifid. Flmvers in corymbose capitate or 

 panicled cymes, bracteolate. Calyx-limb annular, crenulate, developing 

 into a feathery deciduous pappus. Corolla-tube obconic or cylindric, equal 

 or gibbous at the base ; lobes 5, rarely 3-4, unequal. Stamens 3. Stigma 

 capitate. Fruit compressed, coatate, membranous, 1-celled, 1-seeded. 

 DISTUIB. Temp. Europe, Asia, N. and S. America. ETYM. valcre, from 

 its powerful medicinal properties ; species about 130. Flowers sometimes 

 almost dioecious, the female with very imperfect anthers. 



