Galium leptogonium I.Thomps. APNI* Synonyms: Galium gaudichaudii var. muriculatum Benth. APNI*
Description: Herbs, with sparse to dense slender hairs, or glabrous. Stems with angles slender.
Leaves and stipules in whorls of 4; stipules similar in length to leaves below inflorescences, decreasing upwards to 2/3 the leaf length. Leaves spathulate, elliptic, narrow-elliptic, or narrow-obovate to oblanceolate, 3–15 mm long, 1.5–6 mm wide; margin mostly flat to recurved; apex sometimes with a terminal hair.
Inflorescences of 1- to 6-flowered cymes, occasionally to 10-flowered. Flowers with corolla 1.5–2.5 mm diam., cream or greenish cream, rarely hairy; ovary circular to slightly broad-obovate, 0.5–0.7 mm long with scattered pustules or antrorse spine-like or short conical hairs, rarely smooth and hairless.
Fruit dull and smooth; mericarps ellipsoid to sub-globose, but flattened medially or reniform, 1.0–1.2 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide, dark reddish brown, reticulately rugose.
Flowering: Flowers spring to autumn.
Distribution and occurrence: Occurs in eastern NSW, eastern and south-central Victoria, central-eastern South Australia, southern Queensland and southern Western Australia. Grows in forest, woodland and grassland, often growing from rock crevices.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. S.A. W.A.
Many NSW collections previously identified as Galium migrans are now referred to G. leptogonium.
Text by Louisa Murray (August 2011) Taxon concept: Thompson, I.R. (2009). A revision of Asperula and Galium (Rubieae: Rubiaceae) in Australia. Muelleria 27, p86-87.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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