Cruciata laevipes Opiz, 1852

🇬🇧 Crosswort

🇫🇷 Croisette commune, Gaillet croisette

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Superasterids
Clade: Asterids
Clade: Lamiids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Subfamily: Rubioideae
Tribe: Rubieae
Genus: Cruciata
Species: Cruciata laevipes

Presence

Present.

Conservation status

Red List (Metropolitan France): LC Least Concern

Notes

Possible confusion with C. glabra (L.) Opiz, 1852, which has glabrous leaves and stems, while C. laevipes has hairy leaves and stems.

The flowers of C. laevipes typically have 4 petals arranged in a cross pattern, but it is also possible to encounter flowers with 3 petals arranged in a triangular pattern, as well as flowers with 5 petals arranged in a star pattern.

The following infraspecific taxa are accepted:

C. laevipes subsp. laevipes Opiz, 1852, P;
C. laevipes subsp. sajanensis Stepanov, 2022.

Photographs

img/cruciata-laevipes-5.webp — *Cruciata laevipes*

img/cruciata-laevipes.webp — *Cruciata laevipes*

img/cruciata-laevipes-6.webp — *Cruciata laevipes*

img/cruciata-laevipes-2.webp — *Cruciata laevipes*

img/cruciata-laevipes-3.webp — *Cruciata laevipes* - Flower close-up

img/cruciata-laevipes-4.webp — *Cruciata laevipes* - Flowers close-up, showing flowers with 3, 4 and 5 petals

Sources

Tison, J.M., & de Foucault, B. (2014). Flora Gallica : Flore de France (p. 1020). Biotope.