ASPERULAL.WOODRUFF

ASPERULAL. - WOODRUFF

Scientific Description:

Low shrubs, perennial or annual herbs. Leaves in whorls of 4−6 or more, rarely stipules reduced. Flowers in ± loose or head-like contracted thyrses, sessile or on pedicels usually shorter than ovaries, nearly always in the axils of bracts, and often subtended by bracteoles (prophylls), hermaphrodite. Calyx obsolete. Corolla (3−)4−5-merous, hypocrateriform, infundibular or campanulate and with lobes shorter than tube, more rarely ± rotate and with reduced tube, often reddish, yellowish or greenish, sometimes white. Style with 2 ± equal branches and clavate to globose stigmas. Fruit with 2 dry ovoid, glabrous, papillose or hairy (but never uncinate-hairy) mericarps.

Reference:

Ehrendorfer F & Schönbeck-Temesy E (1982). Asperula L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 7: 734.

Public Description:

Asperula, commonly known as “woodruff”, has a wide distribution area from Europe, northern Africa, temperate and subtropical Asia to Australasia (Southeast Asian islands: Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and surrounding islands). There are approximately 194 species in the world and 38 species (57 taxa) in Türkiye. The genus consists of low shrubs, perennial or annual herbs. The leaves are arranged in whorls and have reddish, yellowish, greenish or white colour flower in the form of hypocrateriform, infundibular or campanulate.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperula/,Accessed date: 30.06.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Rubiaceae/Asperula/,Accessed date: 30.06.2016

Anonymous 3 (2016). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=asperula/ Accessed date: 30.06.2016

Minareci E (2012) Asperula L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 816–819.