Flora of Israel: Galium philistaeum

Galium philistaeum, Galium lasianthum,
Galium philistaeum forma calvescens, דבקה פלשת

Scientific name:   Galium philistaeum Boiss.
Synonym name:   Galium lasianthum Eig., Galium philistaeum forma calvescens Feinbrun
Common name:   –
Hebrew name:   דבקה פלשת
Family:   Rubiaceae; Madder, Bedstraw or Coffee family; פואתיים


Life form:   Annual
Stems:   15-30 cm high
Leaves:   Whorled; entire; lanceolate or narrow elliptical, smooth margin
Inflorescence:   Dense clusters of tiny, fragrant flowers
Flowers:   Hermaphrodite; corolla with scattered minute hairs outside
Fruits / pods:   Fruit is variable, sometimes forming multiples
Flowering Period:   March, April, May
Habitat:   Sand
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Shrub-steppes
Chorotype:   Mediterranean
Summer shedding:   Ephemeral


Derivation of the botanical name:

Galium from Greek word gala, “milk,” and alluding to the fact that certain species were used to curdle milk.

philistaeum, from Philistine.
lasianthum, lasios λαιοϛ, shaggy, wooly, hairy; anthos ανϑοϛ, flower; woolly flowered.

  • The standard author abbreviation Boiss. is used to indicate Pierre Edmond Boissier (1810 – 1885), a Swiss botanist, explorer and mathematician.
  • The standard author abbreviation Eig is used to indicate Alexander Eig (1894 – 1938), a botanist, one of the first plant researchers in Israel, head of department for Botanics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and co-founder of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens on Mount Scopus.
  • The standard author abbreviation Feinbrun is used to indicate Naomi Feinbrun-Dothan (1900 – 1995), an Israeli botanist.