404 Order 68.— VALERIANACB^ 



plant varying in size from 1 to 2' to as many feet, found in swamps, &c., N. T. to 

 La. Lvs. ^' in length, apparently connate from tbe stipules adhering to each 

 Bide of the petiole. Slip. 2-cleft into narrow, subulate divisions. Gal. in 4 deep, 

 leafy divisions, wliich are much longer than the white, rotate corolla. Stam. 

 nearly exserted. Sty. very short Caps, opening crosswise. Jn. — Sept. (Hed- 

 yotis Ell.) 



2 O. Boscii. St. erect, diffusely branched ; lvs. lance-linear, acute, attenuated 

 to a petiole, 1-veined ; slip. 2-pointed each side ; lis. axillary, sessile, 1 to 3 to- 

 gether; cor. shorter than the triangular- subulate calyx teeth, which are shorter 

 than tbe roundish capsule. — 2^ Borders of ponds, <Scc., Car. to La. Sta. 6 to 10' 

 high. Lvs. 1' by 1 to 2"- Cor. purplish. Jl. — Sept. (Hedyotis DC.) 



3 O. Halai, with peniamerous fls., a prostrate, succulent perennial, found by Dr. 

 Hale on the Red River, La., may yet be found E. of the Miss. 



Order LXVIII.— VALERIANACE^. Valerians. 



Herts with opposite leaves and no stipules. Calyx adherent, the limb either mem- 

 branous or resembling a pappus. Corolla tubular or funnel-form, 4 to 5-lobed, 

 sometimes spurred at base. Stamens distinct, inserted into the corolla tube, alter- 

 nate with, and generally fewer than its lobes. Ovary inferior, with one perfect 

 cell and two abortive ones. Seeds solitary, pendulous, in a dry, indehiscent 

 pericarp. 



Genera 12, species 185, wiilnly diffused in temperate climates. The true valerian of the 

 shops, used in hybtc-ria, epilepsy, &c., is a product of Valeriana officinalis. The roots of several 

 other species possess a iieavy dflor, ami are tonic, antispasmodic, febrifugal, &c. The spikenard 

 OJohn .\!i. 3, &c). of old, valued as a perfume and a stiniulant, is from the root of N.ardostachys 

 Jatamansi. 



1. VALERIA'NA, L.. Valerian. (To King Valerius, a patron and 

 friend of botanists.) Calyx limb at first very small, involute, at length 

 evolving a pluraous pappus ; corolla funnel-form, regular, 5-cleft ; stam- 

 ens 3 ; fruit 1 -celled, 1-seeded. — 2f Lvs. opposite, mostly pinnately 

 divided. Fls. in close cymes. 



* Leaves and leaflets brnad, somewhat ovate No8. 1, 2 



* Leaves and leaflets narrow and nearly linear Nos. 3, 4 



1 V. paiiciflora Mx. Glabrous, erect or decumbent, often stoloniferous at base, 

 radical lvs. ovaU, cordate, slightly acuminate, on long petioles, crenaie-serrate, 

 caulinc, 3 to 7-parted ; Ifts. ovate, terminal one much the largest ; cymules few- 

 flowered, corymbous; corolla tube long (1 to 8"), and slender. — Ohio to Ta. and 

 Tenn. St. mostly simple, 1 to 2f high. Lvs. of the succors mostly undivided, 

 1 to 1:|' by -} to 1^', petioles 1 to 4' long. Fls. pale purple or white. Jn., Jl. 



2 V. sylvatica L. St. erect, striate, simple; radical lvs. ovate or subspatulaie 

 (never cordate), undivided; cauline one pinnately divided ; segm. ovate-lanceolate, 

 entire or subserrate, tlie terminal one often dentate ; cor. short (3 to 4") ; fr. 

 ovate, compressed, smooth. — St. 1 to 2f high. Swamps, Tt. to Mich., very rare. 

 Lvs. ciliate with scattered hairs, those of the root petioled, sometimes auriculate 

 at base, those of the stem with 4 to 8 lateral segm. and a large terminal one. 

 Fls. numerous, rose-colored, appearing in July. 



3 V. ^dulis Nutt Simple, smooth, and somewhat fleshy; rt. lvs. linear, spatu- 

 lale, entire,.\\\e cauline pinnately cleft into 3 to 7 lance-linear, acute segm., mar- 

 gins densely and minutely ciliate, mostly attenuated to the base, panicle com- 

 pound; cor. short (2 to 3"); fr. compressed, 4-ribbed, crowned with the late caL 

 limb ol^ 10 or 12 plumous setas. — Low grounds. Can., Wis., Ohio. Rt. yellowish, 

 fusiform. St. 1 to 3f high. Rt. lvs. many, 3 to 8' long, segm. 2 to 4" wide. 

 Fls. white, in a dense panicle which is greatly expanded in fruit. Jn. — The 

 fleshy root is said to be cooked and eaten by the Indians. (V. ciliata T. & G-.) 



,4 V. ofEoinSlis L. Valerian. Les. all pinnate; Ifts. lance-linear or lan- 

 ceolate, the lateral and terminal similar, nearly entire; cor. small, short (2"), in 

 a crowded, compound cyme. — From Europe. It yields the valerian of the shops. 



