Galium triflorum – sweet-scented bedstraw
Common Name
sweet-scented bedstraw
Family
Rubiaceae
Scientific Name
Galium triflorum
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
- Medium (M)
- Wet (W)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
- Rich (R)
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.
Photo Gallery
General / Habitat
- Small and sprawling herb.
- Occurs in moist forests, typically in partial shade
- Low to middle elevations.
Key Identifying Characteristics
- Form: occasionally ascending, but more typically creeping over other vegetation
- Leaves: whorls (“arrangement of sepals, petals, leaves, stipules or branches that radiate from a single point and surround or wrap around the stem”) of 5-6, elliptic-lance- shaped, forward-pointing bristles on margins, vanilla-scented
- Flowers: greenish-white, tiny (2-3 mm), 3 flowers per stalk in loose clusters from leaf whorl axils
- Fruit: small 2-lobed burr (covered with hooked bristles)
Lookalikes
- Galium aparine
- typically has more leaves in its whorl (6-8) and its leaf bristles point backward (toward the stem)
- Galium boreale
- occurs in similar habitat
- has leaves in whorls of 4
Interesting Characteristics
- used as a perfume by some coastal peoples
External References
Sources
Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.