34° 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
in the generality three. In all thefe cafes the plants have the threads and the ftyle in the fame flovper.; 
but in others there are diftinift male and female flowers. All this Linnaeus acknowledges ; and he owns 
alfo, that the plants are all fpecies of valerian. Let us reafon on this with impartiality. The having 
one, two, or three threads, is, according to this author, the mark for plants belonging to one or an- 
other clafs : therefore, as he allows all the fpecies in which thefe differences are found to be flill 'vale- 
rians^ all plants of one and the fame genus, it follows, that, according to his method, the feveral 
fpecies of the fame genus may belong to different clafies. This needs no remark. The fpecies of 
valerian fhould, according to this author, have been placed afunder in four diftinft clafles : this ap- 
pears by their parts, and by his charaders ; both invariable, and incompatible with one another. His 
lyftem, therefore, is not conformable to nature or reafon. 
The author was himfelf fenfiblc of this ; for he has not made different genera of thcfc feveral va- 
lerians-, but has placed them all together under one head in his clafs of Iriandria, following by force 
the method of Nature in keeping them together, though to the everlafT:ing difgrace of his fyflem. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
I, Great, fmooth Water Valerian. 
Valeriana aquatica glabra maxima. 
The root is compofed of numerous, thick 
fibres, and fends out feveral creeping branches 
jufl under the furf'ace. 
The firft leaves are large, and beautifully pin- 
nated : each is compofed of five or fix pairs of 
pinn:E, fixed to a flender, redifh midle rib, with 
an odd one at the end : they are of a pale green, 
oblong, fomewhat broad, flightly indented at the 
edges, and fbarp-pointed. 
The ftalk is round, upright, firm, flriatcd, 
rarely at all branched, and five feet high. 
The leaves ftand on it in pairs in a regular and 
beautiful manner: they are pinnated like thofe 
from the root ; and they are of a pale green. 
The flowers ftand at the tops of rhe ft-alL-i ; 
and are fmall, and of a pale, but elegant fiefli- 
colour : they are placed in large, round tufts, 
like umbells. 
The feeds are fmall, oblong, and winged with 
down. 
It is common by waters, and flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls ii -l^akriana fyhejiris major ; a 
name moft others copv \ but it is improper, be- 
caufe it does not diftinguifh it from a fpecies 
next to be defcribed, which fhould be known dif ■ 
tin^tly, bccaufe of its great virtues. It will be 
better therefore to call it the great-, fmooth water 
valerian^, and in Latin Valeriana aquatica glabra 
maxima. 
2. Wild Valerian. 
' I 'alei-iam fyhejiris montana. 
The root is compofed of numerous, thick, 
whitiOi fibres ; and is of a very flrong and dif- 
agreeable fmell, and of a pungent tafle. 
The firft leaves are placed on flender footflalks ; 
and they are compofed of five, fix, or more pairs 
of pinnae: they are of a duflcy green, flightly 
notched at the edges, and hairy. 
The ftalk is firm, upright, flriated, and a yard 
high. 
The leaves fland in pairs, and are pinnated 
like thofe from the root; but they are compofed 
of more numerous pinnx : there are eight or 
more pairs on each ; and they are narrow, fer- 
rated, fbarp-pointed, and of a faint green. 
The flowers fland at the tops of the ftalk in a 
large umbel ; they are feparatcly very fmall ; and 
their colour is white, with a faint tinge of flefli- 
coloijr. 
The feeds are Angle, naked, and winged with 
down. 
It is common on heaths, and near woods, and 
flowers in Auguft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Valeriana montana fyhejiris 
major. Rivinus, Valeriana fyhejiris folio an- 
This is a plant of very great virtues. The 
root poffefTes them in the highefl degree ; and it 
is to be gathered before the herb rifes into a italk, 
and dried for ule : after this it may be given in 
powder or tinfture. 
It is excellent againft nervous complaints. It 
cures inveterate headachs, tremblings, palpita- 
tions of the heart, vapours, and all that train of 
miferable diforders included under the name of 
nervous. It is alfo good in hyfterick cafes, greatly 
promoting die mcnfcs. Epilepfies have been 
cured folely by this medicine. 
Fabius Columna, an author of great know- 
ledge and l^ria veracity, gives a great account 
of its virtues as experienced by himfelf; and the 
late Dr. Douglas took pains to revive its ufe, to 
the advantage of mankind. It is by his recom- 
mendation reftored to the Ihops, and makes a 
very confiderable article in modern prefcription 
for thofe cafes. 
3. Small Wild Valerian. 
Valeriana fyhejiris minor. 
The two former fpecies have the firft leaves 
that rife from the root, pinnated like thofe on the 
ftalk ; but in this and feveral others they are per- 
feftly different. 
The root is long, flender, and furnifhed with 
many fibres ; it fends off a kind of ftioots near 
the head, which run under the furface^ and from 
thefe rife tufts of leaves in feveral places. 
Thefe leaves, which rife immediately from the 
root, or from its underground fhoots, are broad, 
oblong, of a frefli green, and placed fingly on 
long, flender footftaiks. 
The ftalk is upright, ftriated, of a pale green, 
and a foot high. 
The leaves on this are beautifully pinnated : 
each is compofed of five or more pairs of flender, 
oblong pinnse, fixed to a middle rib, with a 
larger at the end ; and they are of a pale green, 
fmooth, and not indented at the edges. 
The flowers ftand at the top of the ftalk, and 
alfo on Ihort footftaiks rifing from the bofoms of 
the upper leaves, in great regularity ; and they 
are 
