Rubiaceae

G. mite Boiss. & Hohen. in Boiss., Diagn. ser. 1(3):37 (1843). Syn: G. subvelutinum (DC.) C. Koch subsp. mite (Boiss. & Hohen.) Ehrend. in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 22:365 (1958). Ic: Parsa, Fl. Iran 3: f. 31 (1943) - poor. Figure 25. Map 112.
Subshrub, (20-)30-60 cm, often nigrescent on drying, usually much branched from below. Stems numerous, ± erect or with prostrate to ascending woody bases, ± stiff, mostly absolutely glabrous, rarely sparingly hairy towards base; lower internodes 1.5-2 cm, upper elongate, 3-6.5 cm. Leaves in whorls of 6, lower mostly reflexed, upper spreading, lamina 15-30(-35) x 1-2.5 mm, linear-oblanceolate or -oblong to linear, glabrous or minutely ciliolate towards hyaline, acuminate to rather obtuse apex, margins flat. Inflorescence broadly pyramidal, many-flowered, with spreading branches, ultimate branchings usually dichasial, sometimes monochasial, usually totally glabrous, sometimes very sparingly hairy; pedicels 0.5-2 mm. Lowermost bracts ± leaf-like, upper reduced. Corolla white, 2-3.5 mm diam., tube 0.3-0.4 mm, lobes ovate-lanceolate, usually mucronate. Anthers 0.4-0.6 mm, broadly ellipsoid, yellowish. Mericarps subglobose, 1.5-2.5 mm diam., subgranulate, glabrous. Fl. 6-7. Open rocky slopes, scree, 850-2700 m.
Syntypes: [Iraq] in monte Gara Kurdistaniae, Kotschy 506a (G); ibid., Kotschy 5596 (G).
Inner & S. Anatolia. A9 Kars: gorge between Karakurt and Horasan, 115 km E. of Erzurum, 1500-1600 m, Ehrend. et al. 787-137-1! B6 Malatya: Tohmasuyu gorge, 18 km E, from Darende to Akçadağ, 850 m, Hub.-Mor. 9334! B7 Erzincan: c. 15 km from Erzincan to Kelkit, 1650 m, D. 31882! B8 Muş: 11 km S. of Varto towards Muş, 1500 m, Ehrend. et al. 787-82-1! B9 Van: pass between Başkale and Hoşap, 2700 m, Rech. 53896! C5 Konya: gorge nr Perinde at Ereğli, 1700 m, Siehe 1912:569! C6 Malatya: 29 km N. of Gölbaşi, 1180 m, Sorger 71-43-22! C7 Urfa: Birecik to Urfa, Kotschy 1841: 309! C8 Mardin: Mardin, Sint. 1888:880! C9 Hakkari: Zab gorge, c. 15 km from Hakkari to Çukurca, 1200 m, D. 44788! C10 Hakkari: canyon below Oramar, 1520-1830 m, Trelawny 1456!
Iran, N. Iraq. Ir.-Tur. element. Closely related to G. psilophyllum and sometimes difficult to separate from it. Specimens from near Refahiye (B7 Erzincan) are remarkable for their densely condensed, short linear leaves, and scarcely mucronate corolla lobes. Subalpine forms (e.g. C6 Maraş, Ahir Da., Haradj. 1623!) differ to some extent from plants of lower altitudes in their more condensed ± prostrate habit, herbaceous stems and slightly hairy inflorescences. Two specimens with rather broad leaves from B6 Maraş (Işik Da., D. 20038!) and C5 Içel (Gülek boğazi, Kotschy 1853:353k!) both resemble G. shepardii. Plants from Malatya vilayet are extremely narrow-leaved, but differ from the related G. angustissimum by their less elongate internodes and distinctly mucronulate corollas. D. 44360 from Van has unusually large corollas (to 4 mm diam.). The species also exhibits unusually large variability in fruit size.