Valeriana

Valeriana
Garden valerian, Valeriana officinalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Subfamily: Valerianoideae
Genus: Valeriana
L., 1753
Synonyms
List
    • Aligera Suksd. (1897)
    • Amblyorhinum Turcz. (1852)
    • Aretiastrum (DC.) Spach (1841)
    • Astrephia Dufr. (1811)
    • Belonanthus Graebn. (1906)
    • Betckea DC. (1832)
    • Centranthus DC. (1805)
    • Dufresnia DC. (1834)
    • Fedia Gaertn. (1790), nom. cons.
    • Fedia Kunth (1819), nom. illeg.
    • Fuisa Raf. (1840)
    • Hemesotria Raf. (1820)
    • Hybidium Fourr. (1868)
    • Locusta Riv. ex Medik. (1789)
    • Masema Dulac (1867)
    • Mitrophora Neck. ex Raf. (1813)
    • Monastes Raf. (1840)
    • Ocymastrum Kuntze (1891)
    • Odontocarpa Raf. (1840)
    • Oligacoce Willd. ex DC. (1830)
    • Phu Ludw. (1757)
    • Phuodendron (Graebn.) Dalla Torre & Harms (1905)
    • Phyllactis Pers. (1805)
    • Plectritis DC. (1830)
    • Polypremum Adans. (1763), nom. illeg.
    • Porteria Hook. (1851)
    • Pseudobetckea (Höck) Lincz. (1958)
    • Rittera Raf. (1840), nom. illeg.
    • Saliunca Raf. (1840)
    • Siphonella Small (1903)
    • Stangea Graebn. (1906)
    • Valerianopsis C.A.Müll. (1885)

Valeriana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae, members of which may be commonly known as valerians. It contains many species, including the garden valerian, Valeriana officinalis. Valeriana has centers of diversity in Eurasia and South America (especially in the Andes), and is represented by native species on all continents except Antarctica.

Some species have been introduced to parts of the world outside their native range, including Valeriana rubra in the western United States and Valeriana macrosiphon in Western Australia.