Galium, Ledeb.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 23

Sect. Leiogalium Ledeb. Perennial herbs with woody stock, without or with robust stolons, and rather stout stem-bases. Stems 4-angled or terete, glabrous or hairy, but never retrorsely aculeolate. Leaves in whorls of up to 10,1-veined, normally with antrorsely directed papilliform teeth along the more or less revolute margin, and with a hyaline apiculum. Inflorescence many-flowered, oblong, ovoid or corymbiform, the ultimate branches mostly ebracteate. Flowers on short or long pedicels. Corolla often white, infundibuliform, cup-shaped or rotate, the lobes often apiculate. Fruit ovoid, mostly dry and glabrous.

Ser. Erecta Pobed. Plants green or glaucous-pruinose. Stems 4-angled. Leaves usually less than 25 mm, but sometimes up to 40 mm, elliptical to filiform, the two surfaces more or less concolorous. Inflorescence narrowly oblong to ovoid, with lower branches short or long; partial inflorescences usually pyramidal; pedicels sometimes stout, often somewhat divaricate after anthesis. Corolla often white, or greenish, yellowish and reddish, rotate (or slightly cup-shaped), with usually apiculate lobes. The three groups of species (36-40), (41-49) and (51-58) included in this Series are each very polymorphic polyploid complexes with different ecological and geographical centres; there are also several close connections among these groups.