GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Liquorice

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Glycyrrhiza (Gr) Sweet-root

Glabra (L) Smooth, without hair, glabrous.

General description:- Perennial herb.

Stems:-

1) 50-80 cm. Stem and petioles pubescent, sometimes scabrid.

Leaves:-

1) Imparipinnate.

2) Leaflets, 9-17, 20-40(-55) mm, elliptical, ovate or oblong, obtuse, sometimes

mucronate, often viscid.

Flowers:-

1) In axillary, long-pedunculate, rather lax racemes 5-9 cm, elongating in fruit.

2) Corolla, 8-12 mm, pale blue to violet.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 15-25 x 4-5 mm, linear-oblong, compressed, straight, glabrous or

glandular-setose, the sutures straight.

2) Seeds, (2-)3-5.

Key features:-

1) Standard, pale violet or whitish.

2) Legume, usually more than 15 mm, linear-oblong, straight, with straight sutures,

setose to glabrous.

3) Leaflets, 9-17, 20-40(-55) mm, elliptical to oblong-ovate, obtuse, sometimes

mucronate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Marshy coastal areas, roadsides and ruderal habitats. 0-700 m.

Distribution:- Scattered in W Greece. - Widespread in the Mediterranean region

and much of temperate Asia. Rare on Crete currently known from a few scattered

location on the C and W, N coasts.

Flowering time:- Mid-May to Sept.

Photos by:- Zacharias Angourakis & Enda McMullen