280 THE TALEEIAN FAMILY. 



1. SSarsh Valerian. Valeriana dioica, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 628.) 



Eootstock emitting creeping runners and erect flowering stems, 6 to 8 

 inches high. Radical leaves and those of tlie runners on long stalks, ovate, 

 entire, | to 1 inch long ; stem-leaves few, mostly pinnate, with one oval or 

 oblong terminal segment and several pairs of smaller and narrow ones, all 

 entire. Flowers small, of a pale rose-colour, in terminal corymbs, mostly 

 unisexual ; the tube of the corolla short. 



A marsh plant, spread over a great part of Europe and eastward to the 

 Caucasus, but apparently more common in the west than in the east; ex- 

 tending northward into southern Scandinavia. In most Enghsh counties 

 and in a few of the southern Scotch ones, but not recorded from Ireland. 

 Fl. early summer. 



2. Common Valerian. Valeriana officinalis, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 698. All-heal.) 



Eootstock short and thick, witli creeping runners, and one or rarely more 

 erect stems, 2 to 3 or even 4 feet high, nearly simple, and more or less hairy ■ 

 at the base. Leaves pinnate, with from 9 to 21, or even more, lanceolate 

 segments, 1 to 2 or even 3 inches long, and mucli varying in breadtli, marked 

 with a few coarse teeth, and more or less sprinkled with hairs underneath ; 

 the upper leaves few and distant. Flowers small, white or tinged with pink, 

 in broad terminal corymbs. 



In moist situations, sides of ditches and streams, and damp woods, ex- 

 tending over the whole of Europe and Russian Asia to the Arctic Circle, 

 becoming a mountain plant in the south. Common in Britain. Fl. sum- 

 mer. A variety with fewer and broader segments to the leaves has been 

 distinguished under the name of T'. samhucifolia. 



3. Pyrenean Valerian. Valeriana pyrenaica, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1591.) 



A taller plant even than the common V., and much coarser ; the leaves 

 broadlv heart-shaped, coarsely toothed, often 5 or 6 inches long and broad, 

 with more prominent veins than in most Taleriaus, the lower ones undi- 

 vided, the upper ones, in addition to the large terminal segment, have 1 or 

 sometimes 2 pairs of smaller ones on the short footstalk. Flowers like those 

 of the common V., in large, flat terminal corymbs. 



A Pvrenean species, which, having escaped from cultivation, is now well- 

 established in woods and plantations in some parts of central and southern 

 Scotland and western England. Fl. summer. 



III. CORNSAIjAD. YALERIANELLA. 



Low annuals, with forked branches, narrow, entire or scarcely toothed 

 leaves, and very small white or pale-blue flowers, in httle compact cymes at 

 the ends of the branches or solitary in the fo'-ks. Calyx-border small, entire 

 or toothed, sometimes enlarging as tlie fruit ripens, but not feathery. 

 Corolla with a short tube, not spurred at tlie base, and 5 equal, spreading 

 lobes. Fruit small, convex on the back, but often marked in front with 2 

 longitudinal ribs or variously shaped projections, which are in fact the im- 

 perfect or abortive empty cells. 



The species are rather numerous, all much alike in general appearance, 



