Galium species

The Bedstraws

Flora, fauna, earth, and sky...
The natural history of the northwoods

Name:

• Galium, from the Greek, gala (gala), "milk," which is curdled by some of the bedstraws. 
• Common name from the sweet-smelling straw of the various galiums formerly was used in mattresses
• Other common names include Måror (Swe)

Taxonomy:

• Kingdom Plantae, the Plants
  • Division Magnoliophyta, the Angiosperms (flowering plants)
    • Class Magnoliopsida, the Dicotyledons 
    • Subclass Asteridae
      • Order Rubiales
        • Family Rubiaceae, the Madders, including coffee, quinine, and dozens of ornamental plants
          • Genus Galium, the Bedstraws
• Taxonomic Serial Number: 34796
• North Country species
  • aparine, Stickywilly Bedstraw
  • asprellum, Rough Bedstraw
  • boreale, Northern Bedstraw
  • labradoricum, Northern Bog Bedstraw
  • obtusum, Bluntleaf Bedstraw
  • tinctorium, Stiff Marsh Bedstraw
  • trifidum, Threepetal Bedstraw
  • triflorum, Fragrant Bedstraw
  • verum, Yellow Spring Bedstraw

Description:

• A ¼, ½, ¾, º, é
• Leaves
• Stem
• Roots
• Flowers
• Sepals
• Petals
• Stamens
• Pistils
• Ovary superior (within blossom) inferior (below flower)
• Fruit
• Seed

Identification:

• Identifiable as
• Distinguished from
• Field Marks

Distribution:

• Alaska to Newfoundland,

Habitat:

Fire:

Associates:

• Trees:
• Shrubs:
• Herbs:
• Ground Covers:
• Mammals:
• Birds:

History:

Uses:

Reproduction:

• Sexually by seed
• Flowers
• Assexually by

Propagation:

• By rhizome division,

Cultivation:

• Hardy to USDA Zone 3 (average minimum annual temperature -40ºF)
• Cultivars and species available by mail order from specialty suppliers or at local nurseries

Links:

• Den Virtuella Floren, Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Stockholm

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