GALIUM MONACHINII

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

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Galium (Gr) Milk.

Monachinii. Meaning unknown

General description:- Annual.

Stems:-

1) Often branched from the base, (5-)10-25 cm, ascending to suberect, scarcely

scrambling, smooth or minutely aculeolate on the angles.

Leaves:-

1) 4-7 x 1·5-2 mm, in whorls of 5-6, broadly oblanceolate to narrowly obovate,

shortly awned, with sparse, short hairs above;

a) margin and midrib, softly antrorsely scabrid, the

b) margin, scarcely revolute.

Flower:-

1) Inflorescence, ovoid.

2) Partial inflorescences, 1- to 3-flowered.

3) Pedicels, rather stout, straight, more or less erect.

4) Corolla, 1·5-2 mm diam, pinkish, glabrous;

a) lobes, apiculate.

Fruit:-

1) Mericarps, 2·5-3·5 mm, (excluding setae), orbicular-ovoid, clothed with rather

soft, hooked setae, (without a tubercle-like base).

Key features:-

1) Leaves, more than 1·5 mm wide, hairy above.

a) margin, antrorsely aculeolate.

2) Fruit, more than 2·5 mm, with hooked stiff hairs (setae).

3) Partial inflorescences, few-flowered.

4) Corolla, pinkish, glabrous;

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Habitat:- Coarse calcareous screes in gorges, dry streambeds, open woodland of

Acer sempervirens, Pinus halepensis, Quercus coccifera, etc., dolines. (200-)600-

1700 m.

Distribution:- Endemic to Crete, Karpathos & SE. Greece. On Crete in the Lefka

Ori, Kedros, Psiloritis and Afendis Kavousi mountain areas.

Flowering time:- Apr-May.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis