RUBIACEAE. 



367 



Vaillantia muralis L., recorded by Jones and by Lefroy as found in 

 Bermuda, has not with certainty been subsequently detected; it is glabrous 

 throughout, or a little hairy at the ends of the branches, and has obovate 

 leaves and smaller, less laciniate fruits. 



9. GALIUM L. 



Herbs, with 4-angled slender stems and branches, apparently verticillate 

 leaves, and small flowers, mostly in axillary or terminal cymes or panicles, the 

 pedicels usually jointed with the calyx. Flowers perfect, or in some species 

 dioecious. Calyx-tube ovoid or globose, the limb minutely toothed, or none. 

 Corolla rotate, 4-lobed (rarely 3-lobed). Stamens 4, rarely 3; filaments short; 

 anthers exserted. Ovary '2-celled; ovules one in each cavity. Styles 2, short; 

 stigmas capitate. Fruit didymous, separating into 2 indehiscent carpels, or 

 sometimes only 1 of the carpels maturing. Seed convex on the back, concave 

 on the face, or spherical and hollow; endosperm horny; embryo curved; 

 cotyledons foliaceous. [Greek, milk, from the use of G. venim for curdling.] 

 About 250 species, of wide distribution. Type species: Galium Mollugo L. 

 The leaves are really opposite, the intervening members of the verticils being 

 stipules. 



Annual ; leaves in 6's or 8's. 

 Perennials ; leaves in 4's. 



Fruit dry, densely hispid. 



Fruit fleshy, pubescent. 



1. G. Aparine. 



2. G. pilosum. 



3. G. bcnnudense. 



1. Galium Aparine L. Cleavers. 

 GoosEGRASs. Cleaver-wort. (Fig. 400.) 

 Weak, scrambling over bushes, 2°-5° 

 long, the stems retrorsely hispid on the 

 angles. Leaves in 6 's or 8 's, oblanceo- 

 late to linear, cuspidate I'-S^' long, 2"- 

 5" wide, the margins and midrib very 

 rough; flowers in 1-3-flowered cymes in 

 the upper axils; peduncles i'-V long; 

 fruiting pedicels straight; fruit 2"-5" 

 broad, densely covered with hooked 

 bristles. 



Occasional in waste and cultivated 

 grounds. Naturalized. North temperate 

 zone. Flowers in spring. This may be the 

 plant mentioned by Reade as G. palustre, 

 found once by him in Pembroke Marsh, and 

 described under that name by H. B. Small. 



