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GALIUM ossirwaense var. ossirwaense [family RUBIACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

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 ossirwaense var. ossirwaense [family RUBIACEAE] GALIUM verum [family RUBIACEAE], [sensu K. Krause in N.B.G.B. 10: 611(1929), non L.] GALIUM mollicomum Bullock [family RUBIACEAE], in K.B. 1932: 498(1932). Type: Kenya, Mt. Elgon, Lugard 400a (K, holo.!) GALIUM mollicomum Bullock var. friesiorum [family RUBIACEAE], in K.B. 1932: 498(1932). Type: Mt. Kenya, Fries 479 (K, holo.!, S, UPS, iso.)
Information
Stems mostly densely covered with short spreading pubescence or sometimes more coarsely hairy.
Range
DISTR. U3; K3–6; T2, 7
Altitude range
(1900–)2100–3450(–3600) m.
Distribution
KENYA Naivasha District Kinangop, Apr. 1938, Chandler 2314!KENYA Mt. Kenya, N. slopes, 114 km. from Nyeri on Nanyuki–Meru road, 4 Feb. 1933, C. G. Rogers 401!KENYA Masai District Narok area, Nasampolai valley, 14 May 1971, Greenway & Kanuri 14860!TANZANIA Mbulu District Elanairobi Volcano, 20 Sept. 1932, B. D. Burtt 4178! & Oldeani Mt., 12 Nov. 1932, Geilinger 3677!TANZANIA Njombe District Kitulo [Elton] Plateau, 5 Jan. 1957, Richards 7473A!UGANDA Elgon, Mudangi [Madangi], 5 Sept. 1932, A. S. Thomas 592! & W. slope above Butadiri, along track via Mudangi through the caldera, 5 Dec. 1967, Hedberg 4476! & Elgon, without locality, Apr. 1930, Liebenberg 1619!
Distribution (external)
Mozambique Malawi
Notes
The information on the label of Chandler 2314, cited above, indicating that the plant attains 5–6 feet and emerges from other vegetation must be an error.G. ossirwaense is a well characterized species in Kenya but shows more variation in Tanzania. Apart from the glabrous variety mentioned below some specimens with hairy stems have a more open inflorescence, e.g. Milne-Redhead & Taylor 10068! (Mbeya District, about 1.5 km. up the Tukuyu road, 17.5 km. SW. of Mbeya, 12 May 1956). This had been identified as Galium scabrellum but although the leaf margins have a few rough hairs they are not close denticles as in that species. Hindorf 6814! is stated to have been collected at Amboseli, on sandy ground at 1200 m., but such a habitat and altitude need confirmation. Bagshawe 394! (Uganda, Ankole District, Irunga, 15 Nov. 1903) has leaf-blades up to 2 cm. long and approaches G. bussei.
GALIUM ossirwaense var. ossirwaense [family RUBIACEAE]
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