CLASS IV. ORDER I. J GALIUM. 179 



giving a rich colour to the curd, for which purpose it is still used by 

 the Highlanders, in comhiuation with the leaves of the common Nettle, 

 Ur'tica dio'ica, and a little salt. Boiled with alum-water, it has the 

 property of tinging woollen goods of a yellow colour; and the flowers 

 were long employed in various forms as a cure in epileptic and hyste- 

 rical complaints, but are now out of use. The roots, according to Mr. 

 Curtis, yield a fine red colouring matter not inferior to madder, and 

 are boiled by the Highlanders with the yarn, adding alum to fix the 

 colour. The roots are too small to render its cultivation as a substitute 

 for madder profitable. 



2. G. crucia'tum, Liuu. (Fig. 223.) Crosswort Bed-straw, Mugweed. 

 Leaves four in a whorl, ovate, hairy ; flowers in small, stalked, 

 axillary clusters, each with a pair of small leaves. 



English Botany, t. 143.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 199.— Liudley, 

 Synopsis, p. 129. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 65. 



Hoot with creeping underground stems. Stem from ten to eighteen 

 inches high, branched at the base, weak, angular, simple above, clothed 

 with simple hairs. Leaves ovate, four in a whorl, sessile, soft with 

 hairs, having a strongish midrib and several lateral, slender, parallel 

 ones. Inflorescence in small axillary corymbs, the common stalk bear- 

 ing a pair, sometimes a whorl of four small leaves. Flowers on short 

 stalks, small, yellow, from three to five-cleft ; some perfect, bearing 

 stamens and pistil ; others with stamens or pistils only. Fruit con- 

 cealed by the leaves, which gradually rise and are deflexcd over them 

 as they become perfect, thus forming a protection to them, and con- 

 cealing them from birds. 



Habitat. — tledges, banks, and shady places ; frequent. 



Perennial; flowering from May to June. 



** Fruit smooth. Flowers white. 



3. G. palus'tre, Linn. (P'ig. 224.) white Water Bed-strau: Leaves 

 from four to six in a whorl, unequal in size, oblongo-lanceolate, 

 obtuse, tapering at the base ; stem weak, spreading, branched, 

 and, as well as the leaves, more or less rough. 



«. Stem and leaves smoothish. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 65. 

 —Galium palus'trce, English Botany, t. 1857.— English Flora, 

 p. 200.— Liudley, Synopsis, p. 128. 



/9, Nerves at the back and margins of the leaves, and angles of the 

 stem, distinctly rough, with mostly reflexed prickles. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 65. — Galium Withe rin'(jii, English Bo- 

 tany, t. 2206. —English Flora, vol. i. p. 200.— Lindiey, Synopsis, 

 p. 128. 



Root with somewhat creeping underyround stems. Stems veryva- 

 riotis ill size, mostly tail, weak, and slender, angular, much branched^ 



