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Show Th 340 BRITISH HER: BANE. ; in the generality three. In all thefe cafes the plants have the threads andthe ftyle in the fame flower this Linnaeus acknowledges 5 and he owns butin others there are diftinét male and female flowers. All of valerian. Let us reafon on this with impartiality. The having alfo, > that the plants areall fpecies E plants belonging to one or anark i according i to this author,, the markfor ne, two, or three threads, is, are foundtobe ftill vg}. therefore, as ihe allowsall t he fpecies'in which thefe differences f other oo clafs: according to his method, the feveral rians, all plants of one and the fame genus, it follows, that, The fpecies of no remark. Species of the fame genus may belong to different, claffes. This needs ie ro. four diftinG er in ee 4 to this author, have been placed afunder in four diftinét claffes : this apaccording valerian thould, Hig another, ble one with , incompati and pears by their parts, and by his chara¢ters ; both invariable ; E fyftem, therefore, is not conformable to nature or reafon. genera of thefe feveral va. The author was himfelf fenfiblé of this ; for he has not made different by force , Jerians, but has placed themall together under one headin his clafs of triandria following of his fyftem, the method of Nature in keeping them together, thoughto the everlafting difgrace Deb VebSt ON: o4. BRET LS# 1. Great, fmooth Water Valerian. Valeriana aquatica glabra maxima. Plage The root is compofed: of numerous, thick fibres, and fends out feveral creeping branches jut under the furface. The firft leaves are large, and beautifully pinnated : each is compofed of five or fix pairs of pinne, fixed to a flender, redith midle rib, with an odd one at the end: they are of a pale green, oblong, fomewhatbroad, flightly indented at the edges, and fharp-pointed. The ftalk is round, upright, firm, ftriated, rarely at all branched, and five feet high. The leaves ftand onit 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 the {talks ; and are {mall, and of a pale, but elegant flefhcolour: 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 it Valeriana Syloeftris major; a name moft others copy ; but it is improper, becaufe it does not diftinguith it from. a fpecies next to be defcribed, which fhould be known diftinétly, becaufe of its great virtues. It will be better therefore to call it the great, {mooth water valerian, and in Latin Voleriana aquatica glabra maxima, S:P-Bs cle E.'S: The feeds are fingle, naked, and winged with down. It is commonon heaths, and near woods, and flowers in Augutft. C. Bauhine calls it Valeriana montana fylveftri major. Rivinus, Valer veftris folio anguptiore. This is a plant of very great virtues, The root poffeffes them in the higheft degree; andit is to be gathered before the herbrifes into a ftalk, and dried for ufe : after this it may be given in powderortincture. It is excellent againft nervous complaints. It cures inveterate headachs, tremblings, palpitations of the heart, vapours, and all that train of miferable diforders included under the name of nervous. It is alfo goodin hyfterick cafes, greatly promoting the menfes. Epilepfies have been cured folely by this medicine. Fabius Columna, an author of great knowledge and ftriét 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 fhops, and makes a very confiderable article in modern prefcription for thofe cafes. 3. Small Wild Valerian. Valeriana fylveftris minor. Ft4g03 The two former fpecies have the firft leaves z. Wild Valerian. Valeriana Spylvefiris montana. Bly gue thatrife fromthe root, pinnated like thofe on the The root is compofed of numerous, thick, Theroot is long, flender, and furnifhed with many fibres: it fends off a kind of fhoots neat the head, which run underthe furface; and from whitifh fibres; andis of a very ftrong and difagreeable fmell, and of a pungent tafte. The firft leaves are placed onflender footftalks 5 and they are compofedoffive, fix, or more pairs of pinne: they are of a dufky green, flightly notched at the edges, and hairy, Theftalkis firm, upright, ftriated, and a yard high. The leaves ftand in pairs, and are pinnated like thofe from the root; but they are compofed of more numerous pinn a: there are eight or morepairs on :each 3 and they are narrow, fera, fharp- pointed, andof rated a faint green. “3 he ar eu at the tops of the ftalk ina ar as el:Ahey as ae theyare feparately very {mall ; and heir ¢ Olourr is white, / with i a faint int tinge ti of flefhcolour, e ftalk ; but in thisand feveral others they are per- feétly different. thefe rife tufts ofleaves in feveral places. Thefe leaves, which rife immediately from the root, or fromits underground fhoots, are broad, oblong, of a frefh green, and placed fingly on long, flender foctftalks. The ftalk is upright, ftriated, ofa pale green, and a foot high. The leaves on this are beautifully pinnated : each is compofedof five or more pairs of flender, oblong pinne, fixed to a middle rib, with a larger at the esd; and they are ofa pale green, {mooth, and not indentedat the edges. Theflowers ftand at the top of the ftalk, and alfo on fhort footftalks rifing from the bofoms of the upper leaves, in great ri rity; and ¢ The “B-RA TI SE are of a pale flefh-colour: fingly they are fmall, but the tufts of themare large and beautiful. The feed is fmall, and fingle : it ftands naked, and winged with down. It is common in meadows, andflowers in July. C. Bauhine calls it Valeriana paluftris minor. Others, Valeriana fylveftris minor. HE RB ASE: 344 nated : the pinnze are narrow’; and: the colour is a pale gréen. The flowers ftand in tufts at the top of the ftalks ; and they are very fimall, and ofa faint flefh-colour, The feeds are large, fingle, oblong, and winged with down, It is commonin boggy places, and flowers in 4. Little-lowered Marfh Valerian. July. Valeriana palufivis floribus minimis. Ray. calls it Valeriana flucftris five paluftris minor altera. The root is compofed of numerous, thick All thefe fpecies agree in their natu fibres. The firft leaves are placedfingly on long, flender footftalks;.and are oblong, undivided, and of a dufky green. The ftalk is upright, ftriated, not at all branched, of a pale green, andtwo feet high. The leaves on it are placed oppofite, andpin- DaiGv, 15, 1O.N, i. lities with the fecond kind ; but theyp in an inferior degree. The great care muft be> not to gather by miftake one of themfor another. This fingle caution mayptevent the error,, that thefe growin wet places, andth: ways in drys upland ground, £-O RIE LGN Garden Valerian. Valeriana hortenfis major. LEIA and thick: it runs obliquely 1s out many fibres. in tufts ona kind of thick root : thefe-are placed fingly ; and they are oblong, at the bafe, obtufe at xu the chd, not at a ftrong andpleafant green. The ftalk is round, upright, firm, and of a pale green: it is not ftriated, as in the wild kinds. The leaves on this are placed in pairs; and they are large, pinnated, and of a paler green t eachtis compofed of about four pairs of pinne, with an odd one at the end of the rib; andthefe are narrow, pointed, and undividedat the edges. The flowers growin large tufts at the topof the ftalk, and of fhoots rifing from the bofoms of the upper leaves; andthey are ofa pale red. The feed is fingle, large, and downy. It is a native of Alface, but is kept in gardens for its virtue. It flowers in Auguft. C. Bauhine calls it Valeriana hort and moft others copy that name. Some call it / The root is good againft vertigoes, pains in the head, and other nervous complaints. It is recommendedalfo greatly nft malignant fevers, The freth root, giver decoétion, operates by urine, andis good againft obftruétions ofthe vifcera. For nervous complaints it is beft given in powder; but the root of our common wild valerianis greatly fuperior to it for this purpofe. 2. Red Valerian. P24 gut Valeriana floribus rubris caudatis. The root is long, thick, and brown; and has a fewlarge fibres. The firft leaves are oblong, broad, and of a greyifh green: they have no footftalks ; and they are fmooth, undivided at the edges, andpointed at the end. The flalk is round, upright for two-thirds of its height, and of a greyith green: toward the N® 34, 5 2 top it ufually bends, dernefs, and to the wei 5 The leaves are ple and they are oblong, ‘broad, and o ui en: they have no footftalks: th 1 1 at edges, and poi The flowers grow in great clufters at the top of the ftalk, and at the fing from the bofoms ofthe leave beautiful red: their tubular c and flender, and terminates in a kind of fpur, The feed is fingle, oblong, and: winged with down, It is common wild in Italy on barren hilly ground, and upon walls. It flowers in Auguft. C. Bauhine calls it Valerian b Others, Valeriana rubra Dodonéi. “ 3. Narrow-leaved’ Small Valerian. Valeriana minor angufifolia. PCa91 6 Theroot is long, thick, brown, and furnifhed with many fibres. The firft leaves rife in a fmall tuft; and are fupported on fhort footftalks : thefe are continuedto the bafes of the leaves, and appear to be only that part extendedin length. They are oblong, narrow, andof a frefh green, fharp-pointed at the end; and ufually there is one indenting onthe fide, and no more. The ftalk is round, weak, andofa pale green: it is ten inches high, rarely branched, andfcarce eht, the top ufually bowing. The leaves on this refemble thofe from the root ; but they are narrower: they have no footftalks. Their colouris a pale, yellowifh green ; and they have oneor twoindentings. The flowers ftand in clufters at the tops of the ftalk, and of fhoots from the bofoms of the leaves ; but they are not fo numerous asin the preceding kinds : they are fmall, and of a pure white. The feed is oblong, fingle, and winged with down. It is a native of the rocky mountains of Germany, and flowers in July. C. Bauhine calls it Nardo Celtico fimilis inodora. Others, Valeriana faxatilis, and Valeriana Alpina anguftifolia. 48 4. Celtick |