Valeriana celtica, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 55

16. V. celtica L. , Sp. Pl. 32 (1753) .

Dioecious. Rhizome creeping, sparingly branched. Stems (2-)5-15(-25) cm, several, glabrous. All leaves simple; basal obovate, oblanceolate or more or less linear, entire; cauline 1-2 pairs, oblanceolate or linear. Inflorescence a narrow, usually elongate panicle with small, dense partial inflorescences. Flowers yellowish or brownish; corollatube 1-2 mm. Fruit 2-5-3 mm, pubescent or glabrous. 2n = c. 48, c. 72, c. 96. Alpine pastures, 1800-2800 m; calcifuge. • Alps. Au Ga He It.

The range of this species comprises two areas separated by a gap of over 300 km. One extends from 6° 50' to 8° 15' E. (mainly in Piemonte), the other from 12° 15' to 15° 10' E. (mainly in Kärnten and Steiermark). The plants of the eastern area have been distinguished as subsp. norica Vierh. , Veröff. Geobot. Inst. Rübei (Zürich) 3: 244 (1925), but the diagnostic characters appear to be too variable and ill-defined to justify subspecific status.