common valerian

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• European valerian
• allheal
• common valerian
• garden heliotrope
• garden valerian
• garden-heliotrope
• valerian
• Garðabrúða
• cat's valerian

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Valeriana officinalis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Dipsacales. Finally, it falls under the family Caprifoliaceae and the genus Valeriana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Valeriana officinalis, exhibits a specific presence across several regions in Northern Europe. In the northern reaches of the continent, it can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Finland. The species is also well-distributed throughout the Scandinavian peninsula, including Norway and Sweden. Moving westward, the plant is documented within the borders of Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range extends to the coastal and inland areas of Denmark.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Valeriana officinalis is characterized by its presence in a diverse array of environments, ranging from anthropogenic landscapes like crop fields to more natural settings such as forests, forest edges, and shrubberies. This species demonstrates remarkable adaptability to varied moisture levels and soil conditions, colonizing everything from dry steppes and mountains to highly saturated environments including wet meadows, swamps, and riverbanks, and even showing resilience in saline places. Its vertical distribution is specifically constrained to a high-altitude niche, occupying an elevational range between 2600 m and 2800 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2600 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, forest, forest edges, meadows, meadows: wet, mountains, rivers, saline places, shrubberies, steppe, swamps

Life history

The life history of Valeriana officinalis is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic debris during unfavorable conditions. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage annually as it enters a period of dormancy.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Valeriana officinalis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. As a terrestrial species, it is neither an epiphyte nor an aquatic plant, growing independently without parasitic tendencies. The plant is self-supporting rather than being a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, its height is variable, with a minimum recorded height of 0.3 m, a mean height of approximately 0.525 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 2.1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2.1 m

Plant height mean:

0.525 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Valeriana officinalis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy for temperate perennial herbs that involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide via the enzyme Rubisco. The plant is non-carnivorous, relying entirely on its root system and soil nutrients for nitrogen and mineral uptake rather than capturing prey. Morphologically, the leaves exhibit a significant mean size of 123.33 cm², providing an expansive surface area for light interception. This structural composition is further reflected in its Specific Leaf Area (SLA), which maintains a mean value of 411.975 cm²/g, indicating a relatively thin and high-surface-area leaf structure optimized for efficient gas exchange and light absorption within its typical habitats.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

123.33 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

411.975 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Valeriana officinalis is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The flowering period typically commences in June and extends through August. The plant relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects such as bees to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Interestingly, self-fertilization is absent, highlighting a dependence on these insect pollinators for successful fertilization. Following pollination, the plant produces fruit in the form of an achene. These fruits are characterized as indehiscent, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.00090625 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00057 g to a maximum of 0.0025 g. For the spread of the next generation, the plant employs an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on the wind to transport its seeds to new locations.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.0025 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00090625 g

Seed mass min:

0.00057 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Valeriana officinalis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, rhizome.

Root

1. Planta medica
2. BioMed research international
3. Archives internationales de pharmacodynamie et de therapie
4. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
5. The FEBS journal

Rhizome

1. Planta medica
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Valeriana officinalis has 234 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Valerenic acid, BORNYL ACETATE, Valtrate, Didrovaltrate, Flavonoids.

Valerenic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Anesthesia and analgesia
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

BORNYL ACETATE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie
3. Environmental science and pollution research international
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Valtrate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives internationales de pharmacodynamie et de therapie
3. Pharmaceutical research
4. Cells
5. Planta medica

Didrovaltrate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives internationales de pharmacodynamie et de therapie
3. Pharmaceutical research

Flavonoids

1. Journal of food science and technology
2. The FEBS journal
3. Metabolites

Isovaltrate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Archives internationales de pharmacodynamie et de therapie
3. Planta medica

Valerenal

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

1-alpha-Acevaltrate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutical research

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Borneol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie

Activities

Valeriana officinalis has 695 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Sedative, Anxiolytic, Hypnotic, Antioxidant, Tranquilizer.

Sedative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Praxis
3. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
4. Anesthesia and analgesia
5. BioMed research international

Anxiolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry
3. Anesthesia and analgesia
4. Alternative therapies in health and medicine
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypnotic

1. Neurochemical research
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. The Annals of pharmacotherapy
5. Planta medica

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta biologica Hungarica
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. International journal of molecular sciences

Tranquilizer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Neurochemical research
4. Journal of medicinal food

Anticonvulsant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Neurochemical research
3. Epilepsia

Hypotensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiarrhythmic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Harefuah

Antihemolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Medicinal Uses

Valeriana officinalis has 60 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anxiety, insomnia, sedative, anxiolytic, epilepsy.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations