Valerian (herb) Valerian (herb) Valerian ("Valeriana officinalis", Caprifoliaceae) is a perennial flowering plant native to Europe and Asia. In the summer when the mature plant may have a height of , it bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly species, especially hoverflies of the genus "Eristalis". It is consumed as food by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, including the grey pug. Crude extract of valerian root may have sedative and anxiolytic effects, and is commonly sold in dietary supplement capsules to promote sleep. Valerian has been used as a medicinal herb since at least
Valerian Osinsky Valerian Osinsky Valerian Obolensky-Ossinsky (1887 – 1 September 1938) was a Russian revolutionary Marxist and Professor of the Agricultural Academy of Moscow. Valerian wrote under the name Nikolai Osinsky, and was active amongst the Left Communists around the "Kommunist" journal in 1918 and later among the Democratic Centralists. He was the first chairperson of the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy but lost that position in spring 1918 due to his opposition to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. He attended the World Social Economic Conference organised by the International Institute of Industrial Relations held at the Vereeniging Koloniaal Institute in Amsterdam.