GALIUM DEBILE

Family and Genus:- See- RUBIACEAE/Sect. APARINOIDES

Common Names:- Slender marsh bedstraw

Homotypic Synonyms:- Galium constrictum, Galium creticum

Meaning:- Galium (Gr) Milk.

Debile (L) Weak, feeble,frail.

General description:- Rhizomatous, weak-stemmed perennial

Stems:-

1) (10-)20-60(-80) cm, more or less erect, quadrangular, smooth or somewhat

retrorsely aculeolate on the usually whitish angles.

Leaves:-

1) Middle cauline, (7-)15-25(-30) x (0·5-)0·8-2(-3) mm, in whorls of 4-6, linear to

linear-lanceolate, somewhat acute, erecto-patent or deflexed; margin revolute

and smooth or slightly rough.

Flower:-

1) Flowers, (3-)4-merous.

2) Inflorescence, many-flowered, more or less divaricate.

3) Partial inflorescences, more or less glomerate.

4) Pedicels, 2-4 mm, more or less convergent in fruit.

Fruit:-

1) Mericarps, 2-3 mm, subglobose, tuberculate.

Key features:-

1) Flowers, predominantly 4-merous; partial inflorescences many-flowered.

2) Pedicels, not divaricate in fruit.

3) Leaves, linear to linear-lanceolate, in whorls of up to 6.

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Freshwater marshes, in scrub by lakes, streams and ditches. 0-1000 m.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout mainland Greece, Peloponnisos and the Ionian

Islands. - Mediterranean region and SW Asia. On Crete confined to the west, not

common.

Flowering time:- Late Apr to July.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis