Compilation
Galium stenophyllum

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Name

Identification
Galium stenophyllum Baker [family RUBIACEAE ] (stored under name);
Related name
  • Galium stenophyllum
  • Galium bussei

Flora

Entry for GALIUM stenophyllum Bak. [family RUBIACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1976) Author: B. VERDCOURT
Names
GALIUM stenophyllum Bak. [family RUBIACEAE], in K.B. 1895: 68 (1895); Brenan in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard. 8: 456 (1954). Types: Zambia, Fwambo, Carson 40, 41 & 80 of 1893 collection and s.n. of 1889 collection (K, syn.!)
Information
Procumbent straggling or subscandent herb 13–45 cm. long; stems rather numerous from a slightly woody base, glabrous to densely covered with rather rough spreading hairs but never with short forwardly directed hairs. Leaves and stipules in whorls of 6; blades linear to linear-elliptic, 0.8–3.5 cm. long, 0.5–1.5(–5) mm. wide, acute at the apex but lacking a distinct filiform acumen, glabrous to quite densely hairy, the margins usually inrolled, not prickly. Inflorescences 0.5–2 cm. long; pedicels 1–4 mm. long, reflexed after flowering. Calyx-tube 0.4–0.5 mm. long, 0.6–0.9 mm. wide. Corolla white or greenish white, slightly sweetly scented; tube campanulate, 0.6–0.9 mm. long; lobes 1.1–1.7 mm. long, 0.6–1.1 mm. wide. Fruit with cocci 2–3 mm. in diameter, glabrous.
Range
DISTR. T4, 7
Altitude range
1560–2250 m.
Distribution
TANZANIA Ufipa District Malonje, 8 Feb. 1933, Michelmore 754! & below Chito Mt., 12 Dec. 1934, Michelmore 1053!TANZANIA Mbeya District Mbozi, 19 Nov. 1932, R. M. Davies 709!
Distribution (external)
Malawi
Zambia
Notes
Brenan separates this from G. bussei on a number of characters—flaccid appearance, leaf apices obtuse or acute but lacking a long-attenuate acumen, widely spaced partial inflorescences, short thicker pedicels which become deflexed and arcuate after flowering and large cocci; moreover the flowers are predominantly white. Other characters are the campanulate corolla and lack of short forwardly directed hairs on the leaves (as distinct from longer hairs). Despite an occasional difficulty in identification the two species are not actually related, G. stenophyllum belonging to the G. palustre L. group. A specimen from just over the border (Zambia, Mbala District, Kasesha, 15 May 1969, Sanane 708) is said to have small purple flowers—perhaps just the buds are tinged purple.

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