Caprifoliaceae

Valerianella Mill.

First published in Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4.: [s.p.] (1754)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is is to become a synonym of Valeriana. Macaronesia, Medit. to Central Asia, Ethiopia to Kenya.

Descriptions

Valerianaceae, J. O. Kokwaro (East African Herbarium). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Annual (or biennial) herbs with dichasial branching, appearing dichotomous, but the terminal bud abortive in the lower branches, glabrous or pubescent
Morphology Leaves
Radical leaves sometimes forming a rosette, entire, petiolate to nearly sessile, undivided or dentate; cauline leaves often toothed, sometimes entire, connate, rarely incised-pinnatifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a terminal, usually dichasial cyme subtended by lanceolate to oblong connate bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers sessile, solitary, hermaphrodite (or unisexual), in the axils of lanceolate to oblong connate bracteoles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-limb often short or obsolete during flowering state, becoming hardened or variously enlarged in fruit, erect, spreading or globose-inflated, regular or oblique, entire or 3–6-toothed, 3-horned or divided into recurved or hooked rigid awns, never plumose-setose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla funnel-shaped, narrowly campanulate or tubular, attenuated at the base, regular or sometimes gibbous, never spurred; limb 5-fid, spreading
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3, inserted towards the top of the corolla-tube, exserted; anthers 4-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style shortly or minutely 3-fid at the apex; stigma simple or shortly 3-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit an achene, oblanceolate to spathulate, glabrous to pubescent, 1-seeded, 3-locular, the 2 abaxial locules empty and ordinarily with a distinct groove between them.
[FTEA]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Annual herbs, erect, glabrous or hairy, dichasially branched
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, basal entire or sinuate-dentate ± sessile, upper leaves with few distinct teeth at base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small, in head-like cymes, sometimes also solitary in forks of branches, white or pink
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx limb sometimes lacking or nearly so, often dentate or crown-like but never with feathery pappus
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla funnel-shaped, without spur, 5-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit an achene, 3-locular, with one fertile and two sterile cells.
Note
For accurate identification, fruiting material is necessary. The most reliable characters (observed through lens) are the shape of the calyx limb and the transverse section of fruits. Valerianella (from Valeriana, q.v. and -ella, diminutive suffix).
Distribution
About 80 species, mainly in the Mediterranean region. Fifteen species in Iraq, distributed mainly in the northern part of the country.
[FIQ]

Sources

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0