282 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



Bedstraw, which is a familiar wayside plant almost 

 everywhere. 



From the fact that the flowers were formerly used 

 to curdle milk the first Latm name derived from the 

 Greek gala has been chosen. 



In practically every county one may find this 

 lovely wayfarer. It occurs as far north as the 

 Shetlands, and in the Highlands it ascends to 2000 ft. 



Banks, pastures, dry sandy places, often by the 

 sea, downs, etc., are the habitats of this plant. On 

 neutral grassland, on clay or loam, it occurs with 

 pasture grasses, Bulbous Crowfoot, Cuckoo Flower, 

 Grassy Stitchwort, Milkwort, Red and White Clover, 

 Bird's Foot Trefoil, Agrimony, Daisy, Milfoil, etc. 

 On sandy soil it is common on grass heath with 

 Milkwort, Purging Flax, Stork's Bill, Furze, Bird's 

 Foot, etc. It is found on limestone grassland, chalk 

 grassland, on upland moors, on grass moor, on dune 

 grassland, in the marram association, in the fixed 

 dune association. 



The habit is erect, with a stoloniferous rootstock, 

 which is woody, creeping. The plant is black when 

 dry, smooth or rough on the edges of the leaves. 

 The stems are branched below, four-angled, prostrate 

 or ascending. The leaves are small, linear, bristle- 

 like, eight to twelve in a whorl, numerous, bent down, 

 downy below, rough above, with a blunt point, 

 channelled above, the margin bent back. These 

 characters indicate that the plant is adapted to dry 

 conditions. 



