Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

A characteristic of all Bedstraws is leaves in a whorl and small 3 or 4-parted flowers in branching clusters. Identification between many of the species is difficult and not obtained from a cursory view. The flowers are more often white but can be pale yellow.

Rough Bedstraw is a native perennial forb that has erect to sprawling stems and if sprawling it may grow to 7 feet. Stems are green with reddish tints, 4-angled and with prickly hairs on the angles. Stems branch frequently.

The leaves on the main stem are in whorls of 6 and roughly hairy also. Side branches may have whorls of 4 or 5 leaves. Leaves are elliptical to lance like with the widest part above the middle and sharply pointed, but not to such an abrupt thin point as in G. triflorum. There is a single main vein.

The inflorescence is composed of clusters of a few flowers that form from leaf axils and from the branch terminal end. Each cluster is only up to 3/4 inch wide and may branch 1 to 3 times. These clusters can appear dense before they elongate.

The flowers are small, 1/8 inch, with white corollas that have four spreading petals (sometimes 5 petals) that are ovate in shape, widest beyond the middle, then taper to a pointed tip. There are 4 stamens with yellowish anthers. These are placed alternately with the petals. The whitish style connects to a 2-celled ovary. The calyx is vestigial, with the 2-celled ovary directly below the corolla. Even though most of the plant has sticky to clinging hairs, the ovary rarely does.

Seed: Fertile flowers produce a dry 2-celled seed capsule that has a smooth (usually) surface. Each cell has one seed.

Habitat: Rough Bedstraw is found in moist grounds in meadows, thickets, wet disturbed areas and riparian edges. It prefers moist conditions and at least partial shade. It grows from a rhizomatous root system which allows it to spread forming colonies. It can also re-seed itself. Should you wish to plant it, (doubtful) root divisions will work best.

Names: The genus name, Galium, is from the Greek word, gala, meaning 'milk' and is a reference to the use of come Galium species to curdle milk. The species name, asprellum, means 'somewhat rough'. The author name for the plant classification, ‘Michx.’, refers to Andre Michaux (1746-1802), French botanist who made many exploring expeditions in the U.S. collecting and cataloging many species. Two important works of his are the Histoire des chênes de l'Amérique septentrionale (1801 - Oaks of North America), and the Flora Boreali-Americana (2 vols., 1803, published posthumously. It was in this volume the classification of Rough Bedstraw appeared). His son Francois, traveled with him and the father’s notes were later used for the 3-volume North American Sylva, for which Thomas Nuttall provided some supplements.

The common name of Bedstraw comes from early use of the leaves in bedding and pillows as the aromas (more fragrant on some species) were said to reply fleas.

Comparisons: See bottom of the page.