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Published In: Flora Pedemontana 1: 2. 1785. (Fl. Pedem.) Name publication detail
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 9/8/2017)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status : Introduced

 

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10. Galium pedemontanum (Bellardi) All.

Cruciata pedemontana (Bellardi) Ehrend.

Pl. 548 h, i; Map 2544

Plants annual. Stems 5–40 cm long, relatively weak, variously erect to loosely ascending or clambering, unbranched or few-branched from near the base, evenly and sparsely to densely pubescent with relatively long, straight, spreading, slender hairs, usually also roughened with minute, prickly, downward-curved hairs on the angles. Leaves 4 per node, weakly ascending to spreading or downward-angled (with age) in orientation. Leaf blades 3–10 mm long, 1.5–5.0 mm wide, narrowly elliptic to elliptic or lanceolate, the smaller ones occasionally ovate, rounded or angled to a bluntly or sharply pointed tip, the midvein not extended into a point, rounded or angled at the base, not glandular, hairy along the midvein on the undersurface, with only the midvein visible, the margins with relatively long, spreading to ascending, slender hairs, flat or only slightly curled under. Inflorescences axillary from all but the lowermost leaves, pendant, hanging below and largely covered by the leaves, consisting of solitary flowers or more commonly small clusters or fascicles. Flowers (1)2 or 3, the stalks 1–2 mm long. Corollas 0.4–0.6 mm long, 4-lobed, yellowish green to pale yellow. Fruits 1.0–1.5 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, the surface glabrous, smooth to granular. 2n=18. April–July.

Introduced, scattered, mostly south of the Missouri River (native of Europe, Asia; eastern U.S. west to Kansas and Texas, also northwestern U.S.). Upland prairies, glades, ledges and tops of bluffs, bottomland prairies, upland prairies, sand prairies, margins of ponds, and fens; also pastures, old fields, margins of crop fields, cemeteries, lawns, ditches, railroads, roadsides, and open disturbed areas.

This species is sometimes placed in the segregate genus Cruciata L., which includes about 16 species native mainly to the Mediterranean region. Cruciata is is said to differ from Galium in its combination of leaves 4 per node and mixed perfect and imperfect flowers that are yellow, pendulous, and generally held below the leaves. However Cruciata is here considered to represent merely a specialized group within Galium. Morphologically, G. pedemontanum is similar to the native G. virgatum; their distinctions are discussed under that species. It shows marked morphological variation locally, probably in response to microenvironment. Most notably it varies from short-stemmed plants with the leaves relatively large and the nodes about a leaf-length apart, to quite lanky plants with the leaves rather small and the nodes well-separated. Plants of G. pedemontanum also change markedly in general aspect near the end of their lives: as the last fruits mature, the leaves quickly dry and sometimes become oriented downward.

This species is a relative newcomer to the United States. It was first reported from Kentucky (Bartholomew, 1941). Its rapid spread was documented by Sanders (1976), who also reported it for the first time from Missouri. Since that time, it has become increasingly common in the southern half of the state and is now likely to be present in every county south of the Missouri River. It has also begun to make inroads in northern Missouri.

 


 

 
 
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