Rubiaceae

C. cucullaria (L.) Steven in Mem. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 7:275 (1829). Syn: Valantia cucullaria L. in Jusl., Cent. PI. 1:32 (1755) et Amoen. Acad. 4:296 (1759)! C. cucullaris (L.) Rothm. in Feddes Rep. 50:72 (1941). Ic: Boul., Fl. Lib. Syr. t. 191 f. 5(1930).
Stems (3-)5-20 cm, erect to ascending, simple to much branched, often from base, branches quadrangular, ± retrorsely scabrid mainly on angles, somewhat hirsute to glabrous. Leaves 3-13 x 1-4 mm, lower in whorls of 4(-6), oblanceolate- to oblong-spathulate, obtuse, shortly petiolate (petiole c. 1-2 mm), upper in pairs, elliptic-oblong to to sublinear, somewhat antrorsely scabrid along margins, glabrous to sparingly puberulent, mainly along vein. Cymes subsessile, 5-7(-9)-flowered, reflexed; central flower sessile, naked; lateral pedicellate, pedicels usually hirsute, 0.5-1.5 mm, subtended by bracts; bracts broadly elliptic to suborbicular, (3-)4-5 mm in fruit, prominently veined below, usually plicate and folded lengthwise around fruit, sometimes flat, glabrous, only margins somewhat hairy towards base. Corolla yellowish-green to purplish, 0.5-0.65 mm diam., cup-shaped. Mericarps dark brown, 1.5-2 mm, cylindrical, somewhat curved, hispidulous mainly towards apex. Fl. 3-5. Dry gravelly or stony places, steppe, 300-2000 m.
Type: Buxbaum, Cent. 1: t. 19 f. 2!
Widespread except for Wr Anatolia. A2(A) Bilecik: nr Bilecik, 300-400 m, Bornm. 1929:14216. A3 Ankara: NaUihan, 650 m, D. 37035! A5 Amasya: Amasya, 400-600 m, Bornm. 1889:497! A6 Tokat: Erbaa, Kale Köy, 300 m, Tobey 700! A8 Erzurum: 15 km S.W. of Ispitlin, 1350 m, Tatli 4405! A8/9 Erzurum: d. Oltu, Sosnowsky. B4 Konya: 30 km N. from Konya to Afyon, 1300 m, Sorger 66-40-13! B5 Kayseri: Erciyas Da. nr Soisaly, c. 1100 m, vi 1902, Zederbauer! B6 Sivas: 12 km S. of Gürün, 1800 m, Sorger 73-33-54! B7 Diyarbakir: 26 km N. of Diyarbakir, 680 m, Hub.-Mor. 13866! B8 Siirt: Sassun (Sason), 1200 m, Hand.-Mazz. 657. B9 Van: 5 km N. of Çatak, D. 23267a! C2 Denizli: N.E. of Pamukkale, 500 m, Sorger 66-7-18! C3 Burdur: Bucak, 800 m, Tengwall 345! C4 Içel: 25 km E. of Mut, 1350 m, Sorger 71-18-23! C5 Içel: nr Mersin, Siehe 464! C6 Gaziantep: Gaziantep, Haradj. 1326! C7 Urfa: Urfa, c. 460 m, 28 iv 1865, Hausskn.! C8 Mardin: 8 km from Mardin to Nusaybin, 850 m, D. 28492! C9 Siirt: Cizre to Şirnak, 25 km below Şirnak, 750 m, D. 42569! C10 Hakkari: 30 km from Başkale to Hakkari, 1900 m, D. 44675!
C. & S. Spain, N. Africa, S.W. & C. Asia. Ir.-Tur. element. A specimen from C6 Gaziantep: 36 km from Gaziantep to Nisib, D. 27896! comprises partly f. aperta (Boiss. & Buhse) Ehrend. in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 22:397 (1968) (Syn: C. aperta Boiss. & Buhse, Aufz. 110, 1860) with flat bracteoles, not hiding the fruit.