Valerian Family [Valerianaceae] |
status
flower
inner
morph
petals
type
type
stem
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
At up to 1.2m it is slightly shorter than Common Valerian which reaches as high as 2m. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Used as a garden plant, but now naturalised. |
10th May 2014, Jedburgh, Northumberland. | Photo: © Colin Watson |
Likes damp ground, but is never actually in the water unless a flood occurs. |
10th May 2014, Jedburgh, Northumberland. | Photo: © Colin Watson |
Flowers (which are in dense compound cymes - resembling umbels) are more pink than Common Valerian, even after opening (but most here are still closed). |
10th May 2014, Jedburgh, Northumberland. | Photo: © Colin Watson |
Un-like Common Valerian the leaves are ovate to cordate and some are sub-orbicular (flat and elliptical). They are dentately (concavely) toothed. |
18th May 2014, Roslin Glen, Midlothian. | Photo: © James Ferguson |
The upper stem leaves usually have one or two smaller lateral leaflets, similar in profile to the other leaves. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Opened flowers are still mostly pink, only the stamens and anthers are white. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Five pink petals. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Petals rounded. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Stamens and anthers are white. |
18th May 2014, Roslin Glen, Midlothian. | Photo: © James Ferguson |
Unopened flower buds a darker shade of pink. |
10th May 2014, Jedburgh, Northumberland. | Photo: © Colin Watson |
Leaves here are cordate. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Some leaves have one or two pairs of opposite lateral leaflets nearer the main stem. |
30th May 2014, Barlow, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Just below the flower 'umbel' (cyme) are an opposite pair of much narrower leaves, which may or may not have one or two pairs of smaller side-lobes at right-angles to the leaf axis and nearer the main stem. This one doesn't. |
Some similarities to : Hemp-agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) but that has longer narrower leaves similar to those of Hemp (Cannabis sativa). Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature : Similar to Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) but with pink flowers and large cordate to elliptical leaves which are heavily and dentately toothed, the upper stem leaves often having one or two pairs of smaller but similarly shaped lateral leaflets. Native to the Pyrenees and non-native to the UK, they were introduced and now naturalised in damp woods and shady hedgebanks in the south of Scotland and very scattered elsewhere. |
Valeriana | pyrenaica | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Valerianaceae |
Valeriana (Valerians) |
Valerian Family [Valerianaceae] |