1894 



VACCINIUM 



VALERIANA 



lets which later turn brownish: lvs. ovate or oblong to 

 elliptical - lanceolate, usually entire: fls. in short ra- 

 cemes on naked twigs; corolla ovate to urn-shaped, or 

 oblong-cylindrical, white or pinkish : berries blue-black, 

 with much bloom, of excellent flavor. Moist woods or 

 swamps, N. Amer. Em. 2:454. American Agriculturist 

 1886:364. B.B. 2:577.— Exceedingly variable, and nu- 

 merous gradations unite the several varieties. V. co- 

 rymbosum is one of the most valuable species both for 

 fruit and as an ornamental shrub. It thrives in the gar- 

 den and is readily susceptible of improvement by culti- 

 vation. 



Var. amcenum, Gray ( V. amcenum, Ait.). A form 

 with bristly ciliate, serrulate leaves, bright green on 

 both sides, shining above, often pubescent on veins be- 

 neath. Mainly in the Middle Atlantic states. B.B. 

 5:400. B.M. 3433 (as V. corymbosum). 



Var. pallidum, Gray ( F. pallidum, Ait. V. albiflo- 

 rum. Hook. V. C6nstabhei, Gray). A pale and glaucous 

 or glaucescent form, with or without some pubescence: 

 ovary more completely inferior, generally low, other- 

 wise resembling var. amcenum. Common in mountain- 

 ous regions southward. B.M. 3428. B.B. 2:579. 



Var. fuscatum, Gray ( I'. fuscatum, Ait.). A tall form 

 with the mature and entire lvs. fuscous-pubescent be- 

 neath : fls. virgate, somewhat spicate on the naked 

 flowering twigs. Ala. and Fla. to La. and Ark. 



19. atroc6ccum, Heller (V. corymbosum, var. atrocic- 

 cum, Gray). Black Blueberry. A branching shrub 

 with shreddy bark, similar to V. corymbosum: lvs. oval 

 or oblong, dark green above, densely pubescent be- 

 neath, entire, acute, often mucronate: fls. in short ra- 

 cemes, appearing with the lvs.: berry black, without 

 bloom, sweet. Moist woods and swamps, northeastern 

 N. Amer. B.B. 2:578. 



20. crassifdlium, Andr. Slender, trailing shrub 

 stems 2-3 ft. long, glabrous: lvs. small, K-K in. long 

 oval or narrowly oblong, sparsely serrulate or entire 

 shining: fls. few, almost sessile, in small, axillary clus 

 ters, nearly white or tinged with red: berries black 

 Sandy bog's, N. C. to Ga. B.M. 1152. - Useful for the 

 shrubbery border south. 



2631. High-bush Blueberry — Vaccinium corymbosum. 

 (spray X K). 



21. uligindsum, Linn. Bog Bilberry. A stiff, much- 

 branched shrub K-2 ft. high: lvs. thick, obovate or 

 oval, obtuse or retuse, K-l in. long, nearly sessile: fls. 

 2-4 together, or sometimes solitary ; calyx 4-parted, 

 sometimes 5-parted; corolla urn-shaped, 4- or 5-lobed, 

 pink; stamens 8-10: berries bluish black, with bloom. 

 N. Amer., Eu., Asia. B.B. 2:576. -The plant is useful 

 for the shrubbery border in cold, wet locations, and its 

 fruit, though of poor quality, is used for food by the 

 natives of the northwest. 



22. erythrinum, Hook. An erect, glabrous, evergreen 

 shrub with bright red twigs: lvs. ovate, obtuse, coria- 

 ceous, entire: fls. in long, 1-sided, terminal racemes; 



corolla cylindraceous, 5-toothed, K in. long, purple, 

 reddish. Mountainous regions, Java. B.M. 4688. J.H. 

 III. 34:39. — Sent to England in 1852 and since grown by 

 various nurserymen as a greenhouse pot-plant. It is a 

 strong plant, furnishing an abundance of bloom in Dec. 

 and Jan. Not remarkable, but worthy a place in collec- 

 tions. A very distinct type. 



23. ovatum, Pursh. An erect, rigid, evergreen shrub, 

 3-8 ft. high, with pubescent brauchlets: lvs. very numer- 

 ous, thick, shining, ovate or oblong, acute, seriate: lis. 

 numerous, in short, axillary clusters, followed by dark 

 purple fruit of agreeable flavor. Vancouver's Island to 

 Monterey, Calif. B.R. 16:1354. — A distinctly western 

 species, and one of California's most beautiful hedge 

 plants, but not well known. V. ovatum is very tena- 

 cious of life and bears pruning well; propagated from 

 suckers, cuttings and seeds, which last it bears freely. 



24. arboreum, Marshall. Parkleberry. Sparkle- 

 berry*. Spreading shrub or small tree, 6-25 ft. high, 

 with glabrous or somewhat pubescent branchlets : lvs. 

 thinnish, coriaceous, smooth and shining above, obovate 

 to oblong, entire or obscurely denticulate: fls. profuse, 

 axillary and leafy racemose; corolla white, 5-lobed: 

 berry small, globose, rather astringent. Sandy soil 

 along river banks, Fla. and Tex. to N. C. and 111. 

 L.B.C. 19:1885. B.M. 1607 (as V. ditfusum). B.B. 

 2:580. — It forms an irregular shrub too diffuse and 

 straggling to be of value except in masses, for which 

 purpose it is useful at the South. 



25. Btamineum, Linn. Deerberry. Squaw Huckle- 

 berry. A divergently branched shrub, 2-5 ft high, 

 with pubescent or glabrous twigs: lvs. oval to oblong- 

 lanceolate, acute, entire, pale, glaucous or sometimes 

 slightly pubescent beneath, 1—1 in. long, K-l K wide: fls. 

 very numerous, in large leafy-bracted racemes ; corolla 

 green, 5-cleft; anthers and style exserted: fr. large, 

 globose or pyriform, greenish or yellowish, few-seeded, 

 almost inedible. Dry woods and thickets, N. Amer. 

 B.B. 2:580. 



Var. melanocarpum, Mohr. Southern Gooseberry. 

 Shrub, 2-3 ft. high, branched from near the base: lvs. 

 as in the type: fls. in loosely 4-8-fld. elongated racemes: 

 berries twice the size of the typical form, shining black, 

 with a juicy purple pulp, sweetish, with slightly tart, 

 flavor. S. States. — Probably a distinct species. Will 

 thrive on any good, well-drained soil and is a valuable 

 shade-enduring ornamental shrub. yy- t jt, Munson. 



VAGAEIA (meaning obscure). Amaryllidacea>. A 

 single species, a bulbous autumn-flowering plant from 

 Syria with strap-shaped leaves produced after the flow- 

 ers, which are quite freely produced in 6-8-fld. umbels 

 on naked scapes about 1 ft. high : perianth-tube short, 

 funnel-shaped at the apex; segments equal, lanceolate, 

 stamens inserted on throat of tube; filaments quadrate: 

 ovary globose, 3-loculed, with 2-3 ovules in each locule. 



parvifldra, Herb. Bulb globose, about IK in. through : 

 fls. white. Offered by European bulb-growers. 



F. W. Barclay. 



VALERIAN. See Valeriana. Greek V. is Polemo- 

 nium. Bed V. is Cenfratitlius. 



VALERIANA (Latin valeo, to be strong, in allusion 

 to medicinal uses). Valerian. Valeriandcew. A large 

 genus (probably more than 150 species) of widespread 

 herbs, mostly of the northern hemisphere. Less than 

 a dozen species are North American. The Valerians 

 are erect-growing, mostly tall perennials, with strong- 

 smelling roots, and bearing many small white, pink or 

 rose-colored flowers in terminal cymose or cymose-pani- 

 culate clusters. Corolla tubular or trumpet-shaped, the 

 limb nearly equally 5-toothed or lobed, the tube usually 

 swollen at the base; stamens 3: ovary 1-loculed (by 

 abortion), bearing an entire or somewhat 2-3-lobed 

 style, ripening into an akene : calyx of bristle-form 

 lobes: lvs. opposite, various. 



The Valerians in the American trade are hardy per- 

 ennials of easiest culture. Only V. officinalis is well 

 known. This is one of the characteristic plants of old 

 gardens, being prized for the spicy fragrance of its 

 numerous flowers in spring. It spreads rapidly from 



