Description
''Valeriana woodsiana'' typically grows to a height of 0.6 m (2 ft). Flowers are perfect. It has 5 white flower petals that are arranged bilaterally symmetrical with fused sepals. The leaves are simple, entire, and toothed with opposite arrangement of two leaves per node on stem. It has 3 stamens, one pistil with three carpels, an inferior ovary with 3 locules and one ovule per locule, slightly 3-lobed stigmas and produces dry fruit 2 - 2.5 mm long. ''Valerianella radiata'' has a corolla length of less than 2 mm.Wallis, C. S. "Valerianella in Cherokee County, Oklahoma." ''Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science''. 1952. The fruit is usually yellowish and glabrous to finely pubescent and the fertile cells are slightly narrower than sterile cells.Cemper, Amanda B. "Valerianella radiata (Native) 4." (2011). A groove forms between the narrow and fertile sides of the fruit. It is a self-fertile plant due to having both male and female organs. Stems are hollow and ascend to erect, dichotomously branching (an important diagnostic character), angled, and glabrous to sparse pubescence on stem wing margins. Basal leaves are sessile, short-petiolate, spatulate, obovate with bases fused around the stem, glabrous along margins and midvein of the undersurface. Inflorescences are clusters that are small, dense, and usually paired on branch tips that have lanceolate bracts to narrowly elliptic.Distribution and habitat
''Valeriana woodsiana'' is native to the deciduous forest regions of the eastern United States. This species is commonly found in creek beds, roadsides, ditches, clearings, hilltops, and pasture lands. ''Valeriana woodsiana'' can be found in areas ranging from moderate shade to full sunlight exposure. It may be present in Japan as an introduced plant.Conservation status
It is listed as a special concern and believed extinct in Connecticut, and listed as endangered in New Jersey. It is listed as a weed in other parts of the United States.Taxonomy
''Valeriana woodsiana'' is an annual, meaning that it grows from a seed, produces seeds, and dies all within a growing season, leaving dormant seeds. ''Valeriana woodsiana'' has funnelform flowers which commonly leads to inbreeding. This species has two varieties: var. ''radiata'' and var. ''fernaldii''. The species is known by various synonyms including ''Valerianella radiata'', which was originally described by Linnaeus but was later renamed byToxicity
This plant is not known to be toxic.Edibility
Young raw leaves and the roots of the plant are edible. Roots of plant are an unlikely food source due to their minuscule size.Weed control
''Valeriana woodsiana'' is a common weed found in some gardens of the southeastern United States due to suitability in many types of soils and pH levels. Applications of 0.11 kg glyphosate/ha was used to controlled ''V. woodsiana'' in non-crop situations''.''References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q89274134, from2=Q17435754 woodsiana Flora of Connecticut Flora of Illinois Flora of Indiana Flora of Kansas Flora of Missouri Flora of Ohio Flora of Oklahoma Flora of Pennsylvania Flora of the Southeastern United States Flora of Texas Plants described in 1841 Taxa named by John Torrey Taxa named by Asa Gray