VALERIANA OFFICINALIS.— GREAT WILD VALERIAN. 
Class III. TRIANDRIA.— Order I. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order, VALERIANE.E. THE VALERIAN TRIBE. 
Figs, ( a ) and (6) are two views of the corolla magnified. 
The great wild Valerian, Valeriana officinalis of Linnaeus, or Valeriana sylvestris major montana of Bauhin, 
is a perennial indigenous plant, growing on the banks of rivers and ditches, and in dry mountainous woods 
and pastures; flowering from June to August. 
The root of this species of Valerian is composed of several long, slender fibres, of a dusky brown 
colour, approaching to olive, that issue from one head. The stem is erect, furrowed, hollow, smooth, and 
branched ; it rises to the height of three or four feet. The leaves are of a deep glossy green, serrated, a 
little hairy on the under surface, growing opposite, in pairs on foot-stalks, and are all pinnated, but differ in 
different parts of the plant, in the number of leaflets. In the lower leaves there are generally ten pairs ; in 
those on the stem nine ; and towards the top five or seven only ; hence the leaf, except towards the bottom 
of the plant, is always terminated by an odd leaflet. The radical leaves are larger, and stand upon long 
footstalks : the pinna: are elliptical, and deeply serrated ; the bracteas, or floral leaves, are lanceolate and 
pointed. The flowers, which are small, and of a reddish white colour, are disposed in large dense aggre- 
gates, or corymbiform panicles, at the extremities of the stem and branches, and contain both stamens and 
pistils, whereby the present species may at once be distinguished from the V. dioica. The calyx is a slight 
border, subsequently expanding into a crown for the seed. The corolla is tubular, with a protuberance at 
the base, and divided at the limb into five obtuse, somewhat unequal segments. The stamens are three, 
awl-shaped, and support oblong yellow anthers. The germen is inferior, oblong, having a thread-shaped 
style the length of the stamens, and terminated by a trifid stigma. The seeds are ovate-oblong, compressed, 
and crowned with a feathery pappus of ten rays. 
The V. locusta, corn salad, or lamb’s lettuce, is sometimes cultivated in gardens for salad ; and of the 
Officinal Valerian there are two varieties ; one growing in woods and moist places, the other on dry heaths 
and high pastures. Both sorts have been used indiscriminately, but the latter variety is esteemed of far 
greater efficacy than the marshy sort. It is principally distinguished by the leaves being narrower, and of 
a duller green; and by its stronger smell, and more humble growth. 
This plant having till lately been generally regarded as the celebrated <pov , or Valerian of Dioscorides, 
has been extensively employed as an article of the Materia Medica. Dr. Sibthorp, in his Greek tour, how- 
ever, has ascertained that the real plant of the ancients is a distinct species, which he has figured and de- 
scribed under the name of Valeriana Dioscoridis. It was gathered by the learned author near the river Li- 
ny rus in Lycia; and has a much more pungent and more durable, and yet less nauseous odour, than the 
plant here represented. 
Culture. — In Derbyshire, Valerian is planted in rows twelve inches apart, and the plants six inches 
asunder. Soon after it comes up in the spring, the tops are cut off to prevent its running to seed, which 
spoils it. At Michaelmas the leaves are pulled off" and given to cattle, and the roots dug up, and cleanly 
washed, and the remaining top is then cut close off, and the thickest part slit down to facilitate their drying, 
which is effected on a kiln, after which they must be packed tight and kept very dry, or they will spoil. 
The usual produce is about 18 cwt. per acre. 
Qualities & Chemical Properties. The leaves have a saltish taste, but little or no smell. The 
roots, particularly the mountain sort, are bitter, subacrid, and of an aromatic and penetrating odour. The 
smell of the roots is very alluring to cats, and rat-catchers employ it to entice rats, who are also fond of it. 
Trommsdorff has examined the root of the Valeriana Officinalis. It loses three-fourths of its weight by 
drying. Distilled with water it yields a volatile oil, very liquid, and of a greenish white colour. Its odour 
is strong and camphoric; its specific gravity, at the temperature of 77°j is 0,9430; its taste is aromatic and 
camphoric, without being acrid. Nitric acid converts it into a resinous substance, or, if it be used in a suf- 
ficient quantity, into oxalic acid. The expressed juice of the roots has a strong odour, and is muddy. It 
lets fall a portion of starch. It contains a peculiar substance approaching the nature of extractive, soluble 
in water, insoluble in ether or in pure alcohol. It is precipitated from water by the salts of lead, silver. 
