Valeriana celtica

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Valeriana celtica (Echt-Speik) IMG 2623.jpg

|genus = Valeriana

|species = celtica

|authority = L.

|synonyms =

• Valeriana saxatilis Vill.
• Valeriana verticillata Clairv.

|synonyms_ref =

{{Cite web

| title = Valeriana celtica L., 1753 - Taxon n°5675 - BDNFF v4.02

| work = Tela Botanica

| publisher = Le réseau des Botanistes Francophones

| date = 2000–2009

| url = http://www.tela-botanica.org/eflore/BDNFF/4.02/nn/70546/synonymie

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110719133057/http://www.tela-botanica.org/eflore/BDNFF/4.02/nn/70546/synonymie

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 2011-07-19

| accessdate = 11 February 2010}}

| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies

| subdivision =

• V. celtica subsp. norica

{{Cite journal

| author1 = Novak, Johannes

| author2 = Novak, Stefan

| author3 = Bitsch, Christina

| author4 = Franz, Chlodwig Michael

| title = Essential oil composition of underground parts of Valeriana celtica ssp. from Austria and Italy

| journal = Flavour and Fragrance Journal

| volume = 15

| issue = 1

| pages = 40–42

| date = 10 March 2000

| url = http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/70003765/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130106065652/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/70003765/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 6 January 2013

| issn = 0882-5734

| doi = 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1026(200001/02)15:1<40::AID-FFJ863>3.0.CO;2-B

| accessdate = 11 February 2010}}{{Cite web

| title = Valeriana celtica ssp. norica

| publisher = Global Biodiversity Information Facility

| url = http://data.gbif.org/species/16559335/

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201417/http://data.gbif.org/species/16559335/

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 3 March 2016

| accessdate = 25 June 2010 }}

• Valeriana celtica subsp. pancicii{{cite journal|author1=Weberling, F.|author2=Endlich, B.|author3=Engel, D.B.K|title=Zur systematischen Stellung von Valeriana pancicii Halácsy & Baldacci und V. bertiscea Pančić|journal=Österreichische Botanische Zeitschrift|date=1971|volume=119|issue=1–3|pages=94–101|doi=10.1007/BF01373111|s2cid=12155635}}
• Valeriana celtica subsp. pennina

}}

Valeriana celtica is a species of plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. It is also known as Alpine valerian and valerian spikenard.{{Cite web

| last = Kress

| first = Henriette

| authorlink = Henriette Kress

| title = Valeriana celtica

| work = Henriette's Herbal Homepage

| date = 1995–2010

| url = http://www.henriettesherbal.com/plants/valeriana/celtica.html

| accessdate = 11 February 2010}} It is endemic to the Eastern Alps (V. celtica subsp. norica) and to the Graian and Pennine Alps.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} It grows as a perennial herb{{cite book |last1=Uphof |first1=Johannes Cornelis Theodorus |author-link1=Johannes Cornelius Theodorus Uphof |year=1968 |orig-year=1959 |title=Dictionary of Economic Plants |language=english |edition=second |location=New York, NY |publisher=J. Cramer |page=538 |isbn=9783904144711 |oclc=48693661 }} {{cvt|5|to(-)|15|cm}} tall. Along with Valeriana saxatilis and Valeriana elongata, it forms a clade of dioecious plants.{{cite journal|doi=10.1600/036364415X686611|title=Resolving Relationships within Valerianaceae (Dipsacales): New Insights and Hypotheses from Low-Copy Nuclear Regions|year=2015|last1=Bell|first1=Charles D.|last2=Calderon|first2=Gloria|last3=Gonzalez|first3=Lauren|last4=Scholz|first4=Andrea|last5=Liede-Schumann|first5=Sigrid|journal=Systematic Botany|volume=40|pages=327–335|s2cid=83634201}} Until the 1930s, it was extensively harvested for export to Asia for use in perfumes. The root has been used as a folk remedy as a nerve tonic.