Valeriana alanyense

Clump-forming perennial rhizomatous herbs. Rhizome circular, stoloniferous. Stems up to 50 cm tall, with 3−4 internodes, hollow, erect or ascending; 2.5−4 mm in diameter, pubescent, hairs denser and more conspicuous in the nodes. Leaves opposite, pinnatisect-imparipinnate or simple, usually pubescent tufted in vein axils, have a softness that gives them a velvety feel when touched, apex acute, margin entire to slightly crenate; terminal lobes well-defined, blades broad, ovate, ovate-cordate to broadly ovate; lateral lobes opposite to subopposite, becoming smaller to the base of the blade. Basal leaves simple or pinnatisect, 1−2 pairs, generally symmetric, 4−10 × 2−4 cm; terminal lobes up to 3 cm. Cauline leaves petiolate, 1−3 pairs, imparipinnate, 7.5−15 × 4−7 cm; terminal lobes well defined, broadly ovate to ovate or lanceolate-ovate, 3−5.5 × 2−3 cm; lateral lobes 1.5−3 × 1−1.5 cm. Inflorescence thyrse compound cyme or capituliforme, turning reddish at the fruiting time and diffuse, 2.5−12.5 cm long, the nodes and internodes pubescent to scattered-pilose or glabrescent. Bracteoles simple, sessile, opposite, ovate or linear to lanceolate, 2−4 mm long, apex acute, glabrous or glabrescent, margin entire, mostly with a hyaline, membranous. Flowers hermaphrodite; the vestigial calyx enlarging and spreading, with 11−15 plumose pappus in fruiting time, bristles about 3 mm long. Corolla 4−5 mm long, white or pink, with 5−fused petals, tube 2−3 mm long. Stamens 3. Stigma 3−fid. Fruit an achene, 3-veined on the abaxial side, 1−veined on the adaxial side and quite distinctly two along the margins, and abaxial ribs evident, lanceolate to elliptic, 3−4.5 × 1 mm, pubescent between the veins when mature becoming glabrescent.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting from May to June.

Endemic.