GALIUM FRUTICOSUM

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

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Galium junceum

Meaning:- Galium (Gr) Milk.

Fruticosum (L) Of shrub-like habit.

General description:- Bushy, much-branched subshrub or woody-based

perennial.

Stems:-

1) 35-90 cm, ascending, stiff, glabrous, 4-angled, angle whitish, much-branched at

the base, forming a bush; internodes of the lateral branches 3-6 cm.

Leaves:-

1) In whorls of 4, 20-26 x (2-)4-5 mm, cuneate, linear-oblanceolate, obtuse,

caducous on older stems, more or less persistent on the younger, shorter than

the intemodes, and the 3 veins indistinct.

Flower:-

1) Inflorescence, ovoid, rather lax, composed of many-flowered cymes.

2) Pedicels, 1-2 mm.

3) Corolla, rotate, 2.5-3 mm in diam., white or pale greenish-white;

a) lobes, ovate, acute.

Fruit:-

1) Mericarps, c. 1·2 mm. rounded, glabrous.

Key features:-

1) Leaves, 20-26 mm; with 3 indistinct, parallel veins from the base, without an

hyaline apex, longest internodes of the lateral branches 3-6 cm

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Habitat:- Crevices and ledges of limestone cliffs, often in semi-shade in gorges.

(0-)200-900(-1500) m.

Distribution:- Endemic to western and central Crete.

Flowering time:- May-June(-July).

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis