80 ON SEEDLINGS 



VALERIANE.E. 



Benth. et Hook. Gen. PL ii. 151. 



Fruit and Seed. As in the Composite, with which this 

 Order has much affinity, the ovary is inferior, but it is three- 

 instead of one-celled. One of the cells is perfect while the 

 other two may be fertile or empty and represented by slender 

 ribs which are sometimes appendiculate on one side. There 

 is a solitary pendulous anatropous ovule in each fertile cell. 

 The fruit is an inferior achene crowned by a many-rayed 

 pappus-like calyx, or the latter is represented by a few-lobed 

 cupular crown or minute inconspicuous teeth. The empty 

 cells during the growth of the fruit remain unchanged or 

 become drawn out upon one side. The solitary seed is com- 

 paratively large, conforming to the fertile cell of the fruit ; 

 and has a thin membranous testa. Endosperm is generally 

 wanting, or reduced to a thin stratum. The embryo con- 

 forms in outline to that of the seed, and is straight with 

 oblong cotyledons, and a rather elongated superior radicle. 

 A very characteristic type of the Order is represented by 

 Valeriana officinalis. The ovate, dorso-ventrally compressed 

 fruit has only one fertile cell which is wholly occupied by 

 the seed. It is surmounted by a many-rayed feathery 

 pappus-like calyx, the segments of which are united at the 

 base, forming a little cup which readily becomes disarticulated 

 from the mature achene. The embryo conforms to the in- 

 terior of the seed, but is nevertheless surrounded by a thin 

 stratum of endosperm, and has plano-convex cotyledons. 

 The fruit of Valerianella coronata is surmounted by a five- to 

 six-lobed, cup-like calyx ; but the segments are not feathery. 

 That of V. Auricula is naked or furnished with very small 

 teeth only. 



Seedlings. There is comparatively little variation in the 

 form of the seed and embryo, so that the cotyledons seem to 

 be pretty constant throughout the Order. They are shortly 

 and broadly oblong, emarginate, petiolate, and trinerved. 

 Valeriana officinalis may be regarded as typical as far as the 



