Valeriana capensis Thunb.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial gynodioecious herb l.2–8(–14) dm. tall in flower, 1.5–10 dm. tall in fruit; rhizomes 3–7 mm. thick; fibrous roots 2–4 mm. thick; sometimes stoloniferous; stems erect, herbaceous, leafy at the base, l–4(–9) mm. thick, unbranched at the nodes (inflorescence sometimes branched but these branches supported by bracts); nodes solid and densely hairy, usually with shallow parallel ribs extending full length, terete to almost angled.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves membranous, predominantly imparipinnate but sometimes pinnatifid and occasionally undivided, with 1–9 regularly or irregularly arranged pairs of essentially sessile leaflets, mostly obovate to oblanceolate; basal ones loosely tufted; lowermost 7–44 cm. long, 1–10 cm. wide; cauline ones in 3–5 pairs, simulating the basal but smaller; uppermost bract-like; terminal leaflets ovate to lanceolate, 2.2–11.4 cm. long, 0.7–5.5 cm. wide, entire to dentate; lateral leaflets similar but smaller.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a dichasial thyrse 1.5–30(–74) cm. long, l.3–15(–21) cm. wide, subcapitate in the early stage; floral bracts linear-lanceolate, 0.6–2.0 cm. long, 0.7–2.5 mm. wide, acuminate; internodes glabrous or pilose along one side; nodes tufted-pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers perfect or imperfect, white to pale pinkish-mauve.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-limb 8–14-fid; segments forming a feathery pappus in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla infundibuliform, gibbous, sometimes irregular, 2.0–5.5 mm. long, densely to sparsely white hairy at the base of the throat within, glabrous without.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3, exserted (± twice the length of the corolla-lobes); anthers 4-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style unbranched at first, later opening into 3-lobed tip, exserted, generally the same length as the stamens.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 2.5–5.5 mm. long, 1.2–2.5 mm. wide, glabrous, light-brown.

Habitat

Upland grassland and upland moor, upland rain-forest at forest margins, by streamsides, in marshy ground or under overhanging dripping rock-faces; 1500–3400 m.

Distribution

K3 K4 T2 T7 T8 Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Rhodesia south to the Cape Province of South Africa

Valerianaceae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Erect perennial herbs of up to 1 m. at maturity, with fleshy rhizomes and fibrous roots; stolons occasionally present.

Morphology Stem

Stems simple and unbranched below the inflorescence; generally glabrous except at the prominent nodes, but may rarely be quite densely covered with long, lax white hairs; internodes generally with well–developed ridges.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mainly basal, but also present as 3–5 gradually reduced opposite pairs on the stem; most commonly pinnate, sometimes pinnatifid, more rarely subentire; terminal leaflets larger than the lateral ones, subrotund to linear–lanceolate, up to 13 cm. long; lateral leaflets ± irregularly dentate, becoming reduced in size towards the petiole. Basal leaves generally with long petioles of up to 18 cm. (the length probably much dependant on the density of surrounding vegetation).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a dichasial thyrse, initially subcapitate, but often expanding into a system of up to 30 x 10 cm. (even larger inflorescence have been reported from outside our area). Bracts linear to linear–lanceolate, 0·5–2 x 1–3 mm., sometimes with small lateral lobes. Inflorescence axis and branches generally glabrous with pubescent nodes, but may be sparsely hairy like the main stem.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers perfect or imperfect.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx inrolled at anthesis, limb segments forming a feathery pappus in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla infundibuliform, white sometimes flushed with pink and distinctly pink in bud; slightly irregular, up to 5 mm. long; throat often with long, dense white hairs, exterior glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3, distinctly exserted at anthesis, on long slender filaments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style slender, with 3–lobed stigmatic surface at maturity, slightly exceeding the filaments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 3–5 x 1·5–3 mm., narrowly ovoid, strongly compressed, glabrous with 6 distinct filiform ribs, 3 dorsal, 1 ventral and 2 marginal.