Short to medium height plant usually with several erect stems, slightly hairy at the nodes. Stem leaves pinnately lobed, mostly unstalked. Flowers pink, occasionally white, 2 to 4 mm in rounded clusters.

Common Valerian

Stoloniferous. Basal and stolon leaves are simple and entire; stem leaves pinnate with several lateral leaflets. 

Photographs must show basal and stem leaves as well as flowers - this plant can't be verified from a picture of the flowers alone (RPR)

Wet places, on calcareous or slightly acid soils.

May to July.

Perennial.

Widespread in Britain as far north as the Firth of Forth.

Scarce in Leicestershire and Rutland, and declining due to habitat-loss.

In the Flora of Leicestershire (Primavesi and Evans 1988) it was found in 23 of the 617 tetrads, and in 9 tetrads in the Flora of Rutland (Messenger 1971).

In the VC55 checklist, (Jeeves 2011) it is listed as Native, marshes, now scarce.