Valeriana L ocus ta. C orn Sallad,
VALERIANA Lin. Gen. PL. T riandria M onogynia.
Cal. o. Cor. i-petala, bafi hinc gibba, fupera. Sent, l,
VALERIANA Loeufla floribus triandris, caule dichotomo, foliis linearibus, Lin. Syß. Vegetab,
p. 73. Sp. P L p .4 j . FLSüec.n.36.
VALER IANA foliis oblongis, rariter incifis, corona feminis fimplici, acuminata. Mailer Hiß. 214,
V ALER IANA Loeufla. Scopoli FI. Cam. n.'46.
VALER IANA campeftris inodora major. Bauh. Pin. 165.
VA LER IANE LLA arvenfis praecox humilis femine compreflo. Mor. Umb.
LAC TUCA agnina. Ger. emac. 310. Park. 812. Raii Syn. p. 201. Lamb’s Lettuce, or Corn
Sallad. Hud/on. FI. Angl. ed.'2._p. 13. Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 85.
RADIX annua, fibröfa, pallide fufea.
CAULIS ereftus, fpithamaeus, pedalis et ultra, pro f
ratione loci, teres, angulato-ftriatus, fubpu- |
befeens, tener, ad unum latus faepius purpu-
rafeens, dichotomus. f
FOLIA radicalia, plurima, patentiufeula, fubfüccu-
lenta, glabra, venofa, fubrugofa, obovata, ob- f
folete dentata, caulina oppofita, feflilia, remota, |
ad bafin praefertim ciliata, fubere£la, fuprema $
fubferrata. f
FLORES minimi, ccerulefcentes, corymbofi. f
e|
CALYX nullus.
COROLLA longitudine germinis, tubulofa, fubvio- §
lacea, quinquefida, laciniis rotundatis, paten- f
tibus, fubasqudlibus,Jig. k
STAMINA: Filamenta tria, alba, longitudineco- $
rollae. A n th e r s parvae, albas, Jig. 2. ■ $
PISTILLUM: G ermen inferum, nudum, majufeu- %
lum, obovatum, viride, utrinque linea exara- §
turn, hinc convexum, fubgibbofum, inde pla- f
niufculum, fig. 4. Stylus- ftaminibus paulo |
brevior. Stigma trifidum, 3. §
[ SEMINA plurima, nuda, pallide fufea, fubrotunda,
acutiufcula, parum comprefla, tranfverfim ru- ‘if
RO OT annual, fibrous, of a pale brown colour.
STA LK upright, from four inches to a foot or more
in height, according to its place of growth,
, round, grooved or angular, flightly downy,
tender, ufually purplilh on one fide, dichotomous.
LEAVES next the root numerous, fomewhat fpread-
ing, flightly fucculent, fmooth, veiny, a little
wrinkled, inverfely ovate, faintly toothed,
thofe of the ftalk oppofite, feflile, remote, at
the bafe particularly, edged with hairs, fomewhat
upright, the uppermoft ones flightly
ferrated.
FLOWERS very minute, of a blueilh colour, growing
in a corymbus.
C A L YX wanting.
CO ROL LA the length o f the germen, tubular, faintly
violet-coloured, divided into five fegments,
which are roundilh, fpreading, and nearly
equal, f ig .i .
S TAM IN A : three Filaments o f a white colour, the
length o f the corolla. A n th e r s fmall and
white, Jig. 2.
PISTILLUM : G ermen placed below the corolla,
naked, rather large, inverfely ovate, green,
having a narrow- groove on each fide, convex
and fomewhat gibbous on one fide, flattifh on
the other, Jig. 4. St y le a little fhorter than
the ftamina. Stigma trifid, Jig. 3.
SEEDS numerous, naked,- o f a pale brown colour,’
roundilh, a little pointed, fomewhat flattened*
and tranfverfely wrinkled, Jig. 5.
In treating of the Valeriana dioica we had occafion to .notice the extreme inconftancy of the fru&ifieation
in this genus ; an inconftancy fcarcely to be paralleled in any other tribe, and affe&ing not only the Linnecan
.lyftem, as depending on number of ftamina, but fuch fyftems alfo as may be founded on the form of the
corolla, or ftru&ure of the feed. In the officinalis, dioica, and feveral other valerians, the feeds are furnilhed
with a pappus or down, here they are altogether naked.
prefent plant is a well-known culinary one ; the radical leaves are in general ufe in the fpring to
rape with other fallad herbs, and fometimes eaten alone : the French call them Salad de Preter, 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 Angle Item, and often occurs with difeafed heads, occafioned by fome infe&. The leaves are fometimes
more than ufually ferrated. A variety of this fort is made a fpecies of by R a y . There are feveral
other varieties mentioned by L innaeus in his Species Plantarum, which have not come under our obfervation.
It flowers in May, and ripens its feed in June.