RUBIA TENUIFOLIA

Family and Genus:- See- RUBIACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Rubia (L) Red, a name used by the Roman naturalist and philosopher

Pliny for madder.

Tenuifolia (L) Slender-leaved, with narrow leaves.

General description:- Evergreen, trailing and climbing perennial herb, woody

except for the the ultimate branches.

Stem:-

1) Up to 2 m tall, narrowly 4-winged.

Leaves:-

1) In whorls of 4-6, coriaceous, 15-40 x 5-16 mm narrowly elliptical to obovate,

shortly acuminate, antrorsely scabridulous or almost smooth on the margins.

Flowers:-

1) Partial inflorescence, only axillary, rather dense, not or scarcely exceeding the

leaves.

2) Corolla, 4-5 mm diam., rotate, cream or greenish;

a) lobes, lanceolate, aristate.

3) Anthers, minute (0.2-0.3 mm), subglobose.

Fruit:-

1) Almost gIobe-shaped but flattened at the ends of the axis, 4-6mm, black and

fleshy when ripe.

Key features:-

1) Woody, except for the the ultimate branches.

2) Leaves, antrorsely scabridulous on margins or almost smooth.

3) Partial inflorescence, only axillary, rather dense.

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Rocky slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation and mixed scrub, gorges,

olive groves, roadside thickets. 0-700(-1100) m.

Distribution:- Rare in W Greece, lacking in the interior an most of the north. -

Widespread in Anatolia, extending to Cyprus, Libya, Palestine and N Iraq. Fairly

widespread across Crete but more common in the east.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton