400 THE VALERIAN FAMILY. 



III. CORNSALAD. VALERIANELLA. 



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

 toothed leaves, and very small white or pale-blue flowers, in little com- 

 pact cymes at the ends of the branches or solitary in the forks. Calyx- 

 border small, entire or toothed, sometimes enlarging as the fruit ripens, 

 but not feathery. Corolla with a short tube, not spurred at the 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 imperfect or abortive empty cells. 



The species are rather numerous, all much alike in general appear- 

 ance, and distinguished chiefly by modifications in the form of the 

 little fruits which appear to be constant. They are chiefly natives of 

 the Mediterranean and Caucasian regions, but some are spread as 

 weeds of cultivation over the greater part of the temperate regions of 

 the northern hemisphere. 



Fruit without any perceptible projecting border on the 

 top. 



Fruit as broad as long, somewhat laterally com- 

 pressed, with a slight furrow on each side ... 1. Common C. 



Fruit ovoid, convex on the back, with an oval, con- 

 cave or cup-shaped appendage on the face ... 2. Keeled C. 

 Fruit crowned by the small, oblique, toothlike border 

 of the calyx. 



Fruit narrow, rather flattened, convex on the back, 



with 2 longitudinal ribs on the face ..... 4. Narrow-fruited C. 



Fruit broadly ovoid, showing, when cut across, 3 

 cells, one with a seed in it, and two conspicuous 

 empty ones 3. Sharp -fruited C. 



1. Common Cornsalad. Valerianella olitoria, Poll. 

 (Fig. 481.) 



(Valeriana locusta, Eng. Bot. t. 811. Cornsalad or Lamb's -lettuce.) 



A glabrous or slightly downy annual, seldom above 6 inches high, 

 erect or ascending, branching from the base, and repeatedly forked. 

 .Radical leaves in a spreading tuft, oblong, 1\ to 2 inches long, rounded 

 at the top, entire or with a very few coarse teeth, narrowed at the 

 base ; stem-leaves narrower, but with a broad base, often clasping the 

 stem, and more frequently toothed. Flowers very small, mostly in little, 

 dense, terminal cymes, J to \ inch in diameter, surrounded by small 

 lanceolate or linear bracts. Fruit about a line long and at least as 

 broad, somewhat compressed, without any perceptible calycine border, 



