Valeriana Locusta. Corn Sallad. 



VALERIANA Lin. Gen. PL Triandria Monogynia. 



Cal. o. Cor. i-petala, bafi hinc gibba, fupera. Sent. 



VALERIANA Locujla floribus triandris, caule dichotomo, foliis linearibus. Lin. Syjl. Vegetab i> 11 

 Sp. PL p. 47. FL Suec. n. 36. *' '*' 



VALERIANA foliis oblongis, rariter incifis, corona feminis fimplici, acuminata. Halter Hjfl. 214» 



VALERIANA Locufia. Scopoli FL Cam. n. 46. 



VALERIANA campeftris inodora major. Bauh. Pin, 1 65. 



VALERIANELLA arvenfis precox humilis femine compreflb. Mor. XJmb. 



LACTUCA agnina. Ger. emac. 310. Park. 812. Raii Syn. p. 201. Lamb's-Lettuce or Corn-Sallet. 

 Hudfon. FL Angl. ed. 2. p. 13. Light foot FL Scot. p. 85. 



RADIX annua, fibrofa, pallide fufca. ^ ^ ROOT annual, fibrous, of a pale brown colour. 



CAULIS eredus, fpithamaeus, pedalis et ultra, pro f STALK upright, from four inches to a foot or more in 

 ratione loci, teres, angulato-ftriatus, fubpu- | height, according to its place of growth, 



befcens, tener, ad unum latus faspius purpu- % round, grooved or angular, flightly downy' 



rafcens, dichotomus. | tender, ufually purplilh on one fide, dichot.o- 



mous. 



FOLIA radicalia, plurima, patentiufcula, fubfuccu- | LEAVES next the root numerous, fomewhat fpreading, 

 lenta, glabra, venofa, fubrugofa, obovata, j flightly fucculent, fmooth, veiny, a little 



obfolete dentata, caulina oppofita, feffilia, | wrinkled, inverfely ovate, faintly toothed, 



remota, ad bafm prsefertim ciliata, fuberecta, | thofe of the ftalk oppofite, feffile, remote, at 



fuprema fubferrata. | the bafe particularly, edged with hairs, fome- 



I what upright, the uppermofr. ones flightly 



% ferrated. 



FLORES minimi, ccerulefcentes, corymbofi. | FLOWERS very minute, of a blueifh colour, growing 



% in a corymbus. 



CALYX nullus. _ | CALYX wanting. 



COROLLA longitudine germinis, tubulofa, fubvio- | COROLLA the length of the germen, tubular, faintly 

 lacea, quinquefida, laciniis rotundatis, paten- % violet-coloured, divided into five fegments, 



tibus, fubasqualibus, fig. 1. | which are roundifh, fpreading, and nearly 



I equal, fig. 1. 



STAMINA: Filament a tna, alba, longitudine co- | STAMINA: three Filaments of a white colour, the 

 rollae. Anthers parvas, albas, fig. 2. % length of the corolla. Anthers fmall and 



I white, fig. 2. 



PISTILLUM: Germen inferum, nudum, majufcu- fPISTILLUM : Germen placed below the corolla, naked, 

 lum, obovatum, viride, utrinque linea" exara- | rather large, inverfely ovate, green, having a 



turn, hinc convexum, fubgibbofum, inde pla- | narrow groove on each fide, convex and fome- 



niufculum, fig. 4. Stylus ftaminibus paulo ? what gibbous on one fide, flattifh on the other, 



brevior. Stigma trifidum, fig. 3. | Jig. 4. Style a little fhorter than the fla- 



% mina. Stigma trifid, fig. 3. 



SEMINA plurima, nuda, pallide fufca, fubrotunda, t SEEDS numerous, naked, of a pale brown colour 

 acutiufcula, parum comprefla, tranfverfim ru- | roundifh, a little pointed, fomewhat flattened 



gofa, fig. 5. I and tranfverfely wrinkled, fig. 5. 



In treating of the Valeriana dioica we had occafion to notice the extreme inconftancy of the fructification in this 

 genus ; an inconftancy fcarcely to be paralleled in any other tribe, and affecting not only the Linn^an fyftem, as 

 depending on number of itamina, but fuch fyftems alfo as may be founded on the form of the corolla, or flructure 

 of the feed. In the officinalis, dioica, and feveral other valerians, the feeds are furnifhed with a pappus or down, 

 here they are altogether naked. 



The prefent plant is a well known culinary one; the radical leaves are in general ufe in the fpring to mix with 

 other fallad herbs, and fometimes eaten alone : the French call them Salad de Prefer, from their being generally 

 eaten in Lent. 



It grows wild in corn-fields, on walls, banks, and in gardens. In corn-fields it is ufually very fmall, grows 

 with a fingie ftem, and often occurs with difeafed heads, occafioned by fome infect. The leaves are fometime£ 

 more than ufually ferrated. A variety of this fort is made a fpecies of by Ray. There are feveral other varieties 

 mentioned by Linnaeus in his Species Plant arum, which have not come under our obfervation. 



it flowers in May, and ripens its feed in June. 



