VALEBIA NA GEM. 



505 



free below the insertion of the filament. The inferior ovary has three 

 cells ; one, lateral, fertile, containing a descending ovule inserted at 

 the top, anatropous, with raphe primarily dorsal' and micropyle 

 interior and superior ; ^ the two others, smaller, situate on the other 

 side of the flower, sterile or containing only an imperfect ovule. The 



Kardostttchyt Jatamansi, 



Fig. 397. Flower (}). 



Fig. 398. Diagram. 



Fig. 399. Long. sect, of 

 flower. 



style, scarcely encircled at the base by a small prominence on the 

 pummit of the ovary, is slender, exserted, slightly enlarged and 

 oblique, almost entire, at its stigmatic extremity. The fruit is dry, 

 surmounted by the reticulate calyx, three-celled, the fertile cell con- 

 taining a descending seed the coats of which cover an exalbumenoua 

 embryo* with elliptical cotyledons and superior radicle. The two 

 species * of this genus inhabit the Himalayas. Thiey are perennial 

 herbs ' the stems of which, short and thick, are covered with fibrous 

 filaments said to represent the remains of the petioles of fornier leaves. 

 The recent leaves are few, opposite, without stipules, entire, with a 



' A slight torsion later mostly renders it 

 lateral. 



' With a single incomplete coat. 



' The colour is said to he greenish. 



* Jones, As. Res, ii. 406 ; iv. 109 ( Valeriana). 

 — KoxB. Fl. Ind. i. 167 (Valeriana^, — Vabi, 



JEnvm. ii. 13 {yaleriand). — Don, Lawth. Cmchpn. 

 180 {Valeriana); Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 159 (Pa- 

 trinia). — Eotl. Illustr. Himal. PI. t. 54. 



' With a characteristic odour found generally 

 in the Valerianaeea. 



