Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains

Galium L. -- Bedstraw

Ascending to reclining, often matted perennials from slender rhizomes (those included here), with slender, 4-angled stems and small, simple, entire leaves in whorls of 4-6. Flowers minute, perfect, regular, 1-few in axillary or terminal cymes, the peduncles and pedicels short and slender. Calyx none; corolla white, inconspicuous, rotate, 3- or 4-lobed; stamens equaling the number of corolla lobes, inserted on the tube; styles 2, short, ovary inferior, 2-celled and 2-lobed, the 2 carpels maturing as dry, globose fruit segments which separate at maturity, sometimes one of the carpels abortive.

References:  

Puff, C.  1975.  The Galium trifidum group (Galium sect. 
     Aparinoides, Rubiaceae).  Canad. J. Bot. 54:1911-1945.  

Puff, C. 1977.  The Galium obtusum group (Galium sect. 
     Aparinoides, Rubiaceae). Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 104:202-208.

Lead	Characteristic	Go To
1	Corolla lobes 4, acute; leaves hispidulous on the margin.	Lead 2
1	Corolla lobes 3, obtuse; leaves scaberulous on the margin but not hispidulous.	G. trifidum
2	Mature fruit segments 1-1.5 mm in diameter; fruiting pedicels 1-2.5(4) mm long; leaves eventually reflexed, 1-3 mm wide.	G. labradoricum
2	Mature fruit segments 2.5-3.5 mm in diameter; fruiting pedicels 5-10 mm long; leaves ascending to spreading, (2)3-5(6) mm wide.	G. obtusum

48. Rubiaceae, the Madder Family

1. Galium L. -- Bedstraw

1. Galium labradoricum (Wieg.) Wieg. -- Labrador bedstraw

2. Galium obtusum Bigel. -- Bluntleaf bedstraw

3. Galium trifidum L. -- Small bedstraw

Return to Family -- Rubiaceae - The Madder Family
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