262 POPULAR FIELD BOTANY. 
smaller, so that it is not difficult to distinguish it. It is 
abundant in chalky soil in waste places. 
TETRANDRIA. MOoONOGYNIA. 
CoROLLIFLORZ. GALIACES. 
GALIUM. (Bzp-srraw.) 
Generic Character. See page 127. 
Gatium verumM. Yellow Bed-straw. Of this genus only 
two have yellow flowers, the Cruczatum, found in May, and 
the present species. It is very different im general appearance 
to the former, for instead of the minute yellow flowers 
growing in little whorls with the leaves, its blossom is in 
thick bunches at the end of the stalk, and as the flower is 
very small, it looks like a yellow feather. The leaves are 
about eight in a whorl, and very narrow. It is common on 
dry banks, sandy places, and sea-shores. Formerly employed 
in coagulating milk, and even now the Highlanders use the 
roots to dye red; they dig it up in immense quantities for 
that purpose in the Isle of Coll, one of the Hebrides, and it 
is said to yield as good a colour as the Madder. 
