Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
48. Rubiaceae, the Madder Family
1. Galium L. -- Bedstraw
2. Galium obtusum Bigel. -- Bluntleaf bedstraw
Stems 2-6 dm long, branched throughout or mainly from the base, pubescent
at the nodes, otherwise glabrous. Leaves in whorls of 4(-6), ascending
to spreading, linear to lanceolate, oblanceolate or elliptic-oblong, 10-25(30)
mm long, (2)3-5(6) mm wide, hispidulous on the margins and slightly so on the
midrib beneath, often slightly revolute along the margins, obtuse-tipped. Inflorescences
terminal on main stems and branches, not overtopped by lateral branches. Corolla
lobes 4, 1-1.3 mm long, acute. Fruit segments black, 2.5-3.5 mm in
diameter at maturity; fruiting pedicels 5-10 mm long. May--Jul. Wet meadows,
stream banks, ditches, wet thickets and floodplains; uncommon, e and sc SD,
e and c NE; (N.S. and Que. to MN and SD, s to FL and e TX).
Previous Section -- Galium labradoricum (Wieg.)
Wieg. -- Labrador bedstraw Return to Family -- Rubiaceae - The Madder
Family Next Section -- Galium trifidum L. -- Small bedstraw