S. NAZIMUDDIN AND M. QAISER

Galium tetraphyllum Illustration Credit: M. Rafiq

Scrambling a much branched perennial herb. Stem 4-angled, smooth. Leaves always 4 in each whorl, 10-25 (-30) x 2-5 mm, ± smooth, obovate-oblong, cuspidate at apex, only margins sometimes minutely scabrous otherwise glabrous and membranous. Inflorescence of many-flowered axillary and terminal cymes; branches stiff, divaricate; pedicels 1-1.5 mm long, recurved and enlarged in fruit Corolla yellow, c. 3.5 mm diem. lobes ovate, acuminate. Ovary glabrous. Fruit glabrous or granulate, c. 2 mm in diameter.

Fl. Per.: July-August.

Holotype: Pakistan: 4 miles from Khawja Khaila on way to Shangla, rocky hill, climbing, firs, yellow, 27.7.1971, Sultanul Abedin 8289 (KUH).

Distribution: Endemic to Pakistan.

Related to Galium asperifolium Wall. but distinguished by its smooth stems and leaves are always in whorls of 4.