''Galium lanceolatum'', commonly known as lanceleaf wild licorice or Torrey's wild licorice, is a species of flowering plant native to the eastern temperate regions of North America. The name 'wild licorice' comes from the species' taste, similar to that of true licorice (genus '' Glycyrrhiza''). Galium lanceolatum BB-1913

Description

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial, this species bears lanceolate leaves with prominent veins in

whorls A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral d ...

of four. The sessile flowers are borne in branching terminal clusters; they are cream colored when they first open but quickly turn purple as they age. The fruits consist of bristly bi-lobed capsules.

Distribution

''Galium lanceolatum'' is native to the eastern United States as well as southeastern Canada, primarily the Great Lakes region and Appalachian mountains. In Canada, they are only found in Southern Quebec and Ontario. In the United States, they are found north from New England down south along the Appalachians. They range as far south as north Georgia, northeastern Alabama, and northwestern South Carolina where they are primarily known from the

Ridge and Valley The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...

ecoregion as well as the Blue Ridge ecoregion.

Ecology

Almost strictly a forest species, they are known primarily from mesic forests and wooded slopes. In the Appalachian portions of their range where they are often found in rich cove forests. This species typically flowers in June and July, but further south in their range they can begin flowering in late

May May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days. May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May ...

References

External links

United States Department of AgriculturePlants ProfileGo Botany, New England Wildflower Society
lanceolatum Flora of Northern America Plants described in 1819 {{galium-stub