Sicilian seashore bedstraw (Galium litorale)
Description
Galium litorale (Sicilian seashore bedstraw) is a rare species of plants in the Rubiaceae. It is endemic to the island of Sicily, where it grows in the littoral zone along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Galium litorale is an erect perennial herb up to 60 cm tall, with large panicles of many small white flowers. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate, up to 20 mm long. The species is listed as "near threatened." Total number of individuals was estimated in 2009 at less than 1000. Galium is a large genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the family Rubiaceae, occurring in the temperate zones of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Some species are informally known as bedstraw. There are over 600 species of Galium, with estimates of 629 to 650 as of 2013. The field madder, Sherardia arvensis, is a close relative and may be confused with a tiny bedstraw. Asperula is also a closely related genus; some species of Galium (such as woodruff, G. odoratum) are occasionally placed therein.
Taxonomic tree
-
Domain: Eukarya
-
-
Kingdom: Plantae
-
-
Phylum: Tracheophyta
-
-
Class: Magnoliopsida
-
-
Order: Gentianales
-
-
Family: Rubiaceae
-
-
Genus: Galium
-
-
-
-
-
-
