9. Galium verum L., Sp. Pl. 107. 1753. lamk, Encycl. 2: 582. 1786; DC., l.c. 603; Hook. f., l.c. 208; Boiss., l.c. 62; Pobed. in Schischkin, Fl. URSS 23: 357. 1958; Ehrend. in Kole & Rech. f., l.c. 142; Bamber, l.c. 153; Kitam., l.c. 369; Ehrend. & Krendl in Tulin et al., FL Europ. 4: 22. 1976.
S. NAZIMUDDIN AND M. QAISER
Erect annual herb. Stem subcircular or quadrangular, pubescent or glabrous, mostly with raised angles. Leaves sessile, narrowly linear, acute mucronate or awned, recurved, 8-10 (-12) in a whorl, 15-20 x 1-2 mm, sparsely hairy-glabrous above, mostly shortly and densely puberulous tomentose beneath. Inflorescence terminal, much branched and many flowered, up to 30 cm or more, usually longer than intemodes of the flowering branch; peduncle 2-3 cm long. Flowers yellow, 3-3.5 mm in diameter, pedicel 3-5 mm long, wiry. Corolla lobes lanceolate, acute or shortly apiculate, glabrous, c. 1.25 mm long. Fruit 1-1.5 mm long, globose, glabrous.
Fl. Per.: April-August.
Type: ‘Habitat in Europa frequens,’ Herb. Linn. 129/13 (LINN).
Distribution: Eurasia, N. Africa, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.
A widely distributed and highly polymorhic species. Many specific and subspecific taxa are recognized on the basis of stem and leaf shape, inflorescence and hairiness of corolla etc. It also hybridizes with other allied species and has numerous ecological and geographical races (Ehrendorfer, l.c.).
