Family |
Rubiaceae
Galium rivale
(Sm.) Griseb.
Galium rivale (Sm.) Griseb.
(First published in Spic. Fl. Rumel. 2: 156 (1844); basionym Asperula rivalis Sm., first published in Fl. Graec. Prodr. 1: 87 (1806); Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, Pl. CLIII nº 4; 1983, as Asperula rivalis Sibth. & Sm., syn. Galium rivalis (Sibth. & Sm.) Griseb.) (Plants of the World Online)
• Life-form & habit : Perennial herb, glabrous, not blackening on drying, very scabrous; stems soft, elongated, more or less climbing.
• Leaves : Leaves in whorls of 6–8, with retrorse prickles, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, attenuate at base; upper leaves smaller.
• Inflorescence & flowers : Inflorescences in terminal and axillary, branched cymes; corolla white, campanulate, with muticous lobes almost equalling the tube; anthers ovate, yellow; style bifid at the apex.
• Fruit : Mericarps globose, glabrous, slightly granulate.
• Phenology : Flowers from July to August.
• Habitat & elevation : Humid places and ditch margins; recorded in Lebanon from lower mountain, middle mountain, eastern slope and Mediterranean continental localities.
• Lebanese distribution : Recorded by Mouterde from Qrayyé, Bân, Dimane, Sir-ed-Dennié, ‘Aïn Qa‘a, ‘Aïnata, Hermel, Chtaura, Mou‘allaqa and Neba‘ Fouar.
• Native range : Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Czechia-Slovakia, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon-Syria, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Poland, Romania, South European Russia, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, West Siberia.
• Introduced range : Germany.
• Diagnostic remarks : Treated by Mouterde under Asperula rivalis Sibth. & Sm.; POWO currently accepts Galium rivale (Sm.) Griseb. and cites Asperula rivalis Sm. as the basionym. It is distinguished among the Lebanese-Syrian Rubiaceae by its glabrous, very scabrous, soft climbing stems, whorls of 6–8 retrorsely prickly oblong-lanceolate leaves, terminal and axillary branched cymes, white campanulate flowers, and glabrous, slightly granulate mericarps. (Plants of the World Online)