Also 4–5 valirian, 5 valarian, 5–6 valeryan(e, 6 valeriane. [ad. OF. valeriane (mod.F. valériane) or med.L. valeriana (also It., Sp., and Pg.), app. the fem. sing. of the L. adj. Valerianus, f. the personal name Valerius.]
1. One or other of the various species of herbaceous plants belonging to the widely distributed genus Valeriana, many of which have been used medicinally as stimulants or antispasmodics.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 800. And herbes couthe I telle eek many oon, As egrimoigne, valirian, and lunarie.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 269. Poudre maad of þe rotis of valarian temperid wiþ wijn.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xii. An herbe … þat men calleth … in oure langage valeryane, þe whiche maketh men fnese.
1530. Palsgr., 284/1. Valeryan an herbe.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 339. There be two sortes or Valerian, the garden and wilde.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccxl. 1078. Generally the valerians are called by one name.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xiii. 213. Valerian then he crops, and purposely doth stampe T’ apply unto the place that’s haled with the crampe.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., 67. Flowers in Prime … Syringa’s, Sedum’s,… Valerian, Veronica [etc.].
1763. Phil. Trans., LIII. 199. The roots of Valerian are esteemed most medicinal, which are dug up in Oxfordshire and Glocestershire.
1782. J. Scott, Poet. Wks., 100. Gay loosestrife there and pale valerian spring.
1822. Lamb, Elia, I. Praise Chimney-Sweepers. No less pleased than those domestic animals—cats—when they purr over a new-found sprig of valerian.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1201/1. Two Valerians are natives of this country.
1882. Garden, 23 March, 204/2. Any one requiring a useful plant for some semi-wild garden ought to give the Valerian a trial.
2. With distinctive terms: a. Denoting varieties of true valerian, as garden, great, little, wild, etc.
Many varieties are enumerated in Parkinson, Theatr. Pl. (1640), 120–2; Bradley, Dict. Bot. (1728); Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. (1753); Johnson, Gard. Dict. (1852); etc.
1548. Turner, Names Herbes (E.D.S.), 62. The one is growing … in moyst plasshes and in morish groundes, and it is called in englishe wylde Valerian.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 339. Great wild valerian. Little wild valerian.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. 916. The tame or garden Valerian hath his first leaues long, broade, smooth, greene, and vndeuided. Ibid., 917. Valeriana Petræa, Stone Valerian.
1601. R. Chester, Love’s Martyr (1878), 83. Great wild Valerian and the Withie wind.
1629. Parkinson, Parad. (1904), 386. Knobbed Mountaine Valerian. Ibid. (1640), Theat. Pl., 119. The great Valerian hath a thicke short grayish roote.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 42. The little Valerian has small Roots, of a good Smell.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v., The great garden Valerian is an alexipharmic, sudorific, and diuretic. Ibid., The wild Valerian root is much more famous than this.
1790. Buchan, Dom. Med., 427. Infusions of balm-leaves,… the roots of wild valerian, or the flowers of the lime-tree.
1872. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 192. The root of the Common Valerian possesses a strong and peculiar odour.
1890. Science-Gossip, XXVI. 183. The handsome heart-leaved valerian (Valeriana Pyrenaica).
b. Red, spur-, or spurred (also † basil) valerian, = Centranthus ruber.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. 551. Of Basill Valerian. Red Valerian hath beene so called of the likenesse of the flowers and spoked rundles with Valerian, by which name we had rather haue it called, then rashly to laie vpon it an vnproper name.
1640. Parkinson, Theat. Pl., 122. This small red Valerian is very like unto the greater red Valerian.
1849. [see SPURRED a. 4].
1855–63. [see SPUR sb.1 14 b].
1866. Treas. Bot., 247/1. The Red Valerian, C. ruber, formerly known as Valeriana rubra, offers a good example of the genus.
1899. Bridges, Idle Flowers, Poet. Wks. (1912), 352. With red Valerian And Toadflax on the wall.
c. Greek († Greekish, Grecian) valerian, Jacob’s ladder, Polemonium cæruleum.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, III. 340. The garden Valerian and Greeke Valerian are sowen and planted in gardens. Ibid. The Greekish Valerian hath two or three holow stalkes, or moe.
1629. Parkinson, Parad. (1904), 388. The Greek Valerian hath many winged leaues lying vpon the ground,… very like vnto the wilde Valerian.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, VI. 436. The Leaves were set upon a long stem, like to that which is called Grecian Valerian.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xvi. (1794), 189. Greek Valerian or Jacob’s-Ladder which has the corolla rather rotate.
1855. Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., IV. 15. Blue Jacob’s Ladder or Greek Valerian.
1858. Irvine, Brit. Plants, 477. Polemoniaceæ, the Greek Valerian Family.
3. The drug derived from the rootstocks of the wild valerian or other species.
1794. Godwin, Caleb Williams, 29. I shall hate you as bad as senna and valerian.
1801. Med. Jrnl., V. 472. Internally valerian with opium [was] prescribed.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXII. 347/2. It is curious that the Celtic and mountain nards are also Valerians, the former being yielded by Valeriana Celtica and Saliunca. Ibid. (1843), XXVI. 92/2. Valerian is considered a cerebro-spinal stimulant.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 604. Sedatives such as bromides and valerian … must be administered.
4. attrib., as valerian oil, root, tea; valerian fumily, order, tribe, -worts, the order Valerianaceæ.
a. 1747. Wesley, Prim. Physick (1762), 49. A Teaspoonful of Valerian Root.
1783. Med. Comm., I. 214. She had taken the drops in the valerian tea.
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 975. Crude valerian-oil is a mixture of several substances.
1874. Garrod & Baxter, Mat. Med., 288. Valerian Root. The root of Valeriana officinalis, dried.
b. 1846. Lindley, Veget. Kingd., 698. Valerianworts are principally distinguished from Teazelworts by their want of albumen.
1849. Balfour, Man. Bot., § 906. The Valerian Family.
1855. Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., III. 160. The Valerian Tribe.
1857. Henfrey, Bot., 315. The Valerian Order.
