Image of Valeriana elongata Jacq.

Description:

Slo.: podaljana pajka - Habitat: Stony alpine pasture, near the bottom of a snow valley, almost flat terrain, calcareous ground, with some siliceous rock, full sun, exposed to direct rain, average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 1-3 deg C, elevation 1.960 m (6.430 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. - Substratum: soil in rock crevices. - Comment: About twenty taxa of genus Valeriana grow in Slovenia. The most widely known is Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), which is actually a complex of lower taxa quite demanding for determination. It is an effective medical plant broadly used in official and alternative medicine as sedative.Valeriana-sare generally common plants. But two of them, namely Valeriana elongata and Valeriana supina are something special. They are strictly bound to high elevations and calcareous ground. Both are rather rare and endemic to East Alps.Valeriana elongata grows in subalpine and alpine elevations while Valeriana supine climbs well into nival elevations zone. - Valeriana elongata is quite inconspicuous plant with tiny yellow-green-reddish flowers, much less colorful than other species in this genus. If it grew among grasses, it would be quite difficult to spot it. Yet,its usual habitat are rock crevices and scree where its shiny deep green leaves make a vivid contrast with white calcareous rock of the Julian Alps. So, there is no problem to spot and recognize it. - Ref.: (1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 2., Haupt (2004), p 400. (2) W. Langer, H. Sauerbier, Endemishe Pflanzen der Alpen (I), IHW-Verlag (1997), ISBN 3-930167-22-0, p 120. (3) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije, Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007) (in Slovene), p 496. (4) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora sterreich Liechtenstein, Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 797.