Asperula

Asperula L.

Asperula is a genus with ca. 90 species in Eurasia. It is particularly well-represented in Europe and Turkey. The exact placement of 16 dioecious Australian species remains obscure (Mabberley 2008; Thompson 2009). A single species is doubtlessly native in Belgium: A. cynanchica L. (Lambinon & Verloove 2012). A. arvensis L. is accepted as a native but possibly extinct species in the Lorraine and Champagne phytogeographical departments in France and Luxembourg, close to the Belgian frontiers (Lambinon & Verloove l.c.). Its status in Belgium is uncertain but it is most likely non-native (see below).

Several species of Asperula are cultivated as ornamentals (e.g. Jäger & al. 2008) and some of these were formerly recorded as escapes (see below).

1       Corolla sky blue. Flowers subtended by distinct involucral bracts. Annual. Fruit smooth. Leaves in whorls of 6-8 === Asperula arvensis

         Corolla pink or whitish-pink. Flowers not subtended by involucral bracts. Perennial. Fruit papillose. Leaves apparently in whorls of 4 (native) === A. cynanchica

Additional aliens: Asperula laevigata L. (Medit., vector obscure), A. taurina L. (Euras., garden escape?) and A. tinctoria L. (Eur., garden escape?).

Literature:


Adema F. (1971) De geslachten Asperula, Galium, Rubia en Sherardia in Nederland: 1, Een synoptische sleutel. Gorteria 5: 116-119.

Ehrendorfer F. & Krendl F. (1976) Asperula. In: Tutin T.G. & al. (eds.), Flora Europaea, vol. 4. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 4-14.

Jäger E.J., Ebel F., Hanelt P. & Müller G. (eds.) (2008) Rothmaler Band 5. Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Krautige Zier- und Nutzpflanzen. Springer Verlag, Berlin: 880 p.

Lambinon J. & Verloove F. (avec coll. Delvosalle L., Toussaint B., Geerinck D., Hoste I., Van Rossum F., Cornier B., Schumacker R., Vanderpoorten A. & Vannerom H.) (2012) Nouvelle Flore de la Belgique, du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, du Nord de la France et des Régions voisines (Ptéridophytes et Spermatophytes). Sixième édition. Jardin botanique national de Belgique, Meise: CXXXIX + 1195 p.

Mabberley D.J. (2008) Mabberley’s plant-book (3th ed.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: XVIII + 1021 p.

Thompson I.R. (2009) A revision of Asperula and Galium (Rubieae: Rubiaceae) in Australia. Muelleria 27(1): 36-112. [available online at: http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/documents/Muelleria_27(1),_p36-115,_Thompson,_Asperula__Galium.pdf]

Tison J.-M. & de Foucault B. (coord.) 2014) Flora Gallica. Flore de France. Editions Biotope, Mèze : xx + 1196 p.

Taxonomic name: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith