304 LXX11. RUBIACE^E. GALIUM. 



SUBORDER 1. S T E tr L< A T JE . 



Calyx wholly adherent (superior) to the ovary which is two-celled, 



two-seeded. Leaves verticillate. Herbs. 



1. GALIUM. 



Gr. yaAa, milk; the flowers of one species (G. verum) are used in coagulating milk. 



Calyx minute, 4-toothed ; corolla rotate, 4-cleft ; stamens 4, short ; 

 styles 2 ; carpels 2, united, 1 -seeded, indehiscent. Herbs, with slen- 

 der , ^-angled stems.- Lvs. verticillate. 



* Fruit smooth. 



1. G. ASPRELLUM. Michx. Rough Cleavers or Clivers. 



St. diffuse, very branching, rough backwards; Ivs. in 6s, 5s or 4s, lanceo- 

 late, acuminate or cuspidate, margin and midvein retrorsely aculeate ; ped. 

 short, in 2s or 3s. l|-Common in thickets and low grounds, Can. and Northern 

 States. Stem weak, 2 5f long, leaning on" other plants, and closely adhering 

 to them by its minute, retrorse prickles. Leaves 5 8" by 2 3". Flowers 

 white, small and numerous. Fruit minute, smooth, often slightly hispid when 

 young. Jl. 



2. G. TRIFIDUM. Dyers' Cleavers. Goose-grass. 



St. decumbent, very branching, roughish with retrorse prickles ; Ivs. in 5s 

 and 4s, linear-oblong or oblanceolate, obtuse, rough-edged ; parts of the flower 

 mostly in 3s. Tj. In low, wet grounds, Can. and U. S. It is one of the smallest 

 of the species. Leaves 3 6" by 1 2", often cuneate at base. Peduncles 

 mostly in 3s, and axillary. Flowers small, white. Jl. 



(3. tinctorium. Torr. (G. tinctorium. Linn.} St. nearly smooth ; Ivs. of the 

 stem in 6s, of the branches in 4s ; ped. 2 3-flowered ; parts of the flower in 4s. A 

 somewhat less slender variety than the first. The root is said to dye a perma- 

 nent red. 



y. latifolium. Torr. (G. obtusum. Bw.) Lvs. in 4s, oblanceolate, obtuse ; 

 ped. 3-flowered ; parts of the flower in 4s. 



3. G. VERUM. Yellow Bedstraw. 



Erect ; Ivs. in 8s, grooved, entire, rough, linear ; fls. densely paniculate. 

 n\. Found in dry, open grounds, in the vicinity of Boston, probably introduced. 

 Bigelow. Root long, fibrous. Stem slender, erect, 1 2f high, with short, op- 

 posite, leafy, unequal branches. Leaves deflexed, linear, with rolled edges. 

 Flowers numerous, small, yellow, in small, dense, terminal panicles. Jn. 

 The roots dye red. The flowers are used in England to curdle milk. 



4. G. CONCINNUM. Torr. & Gray. 



St. decumbent, diffusely branched, retrorsely scabrous on the angles ; Ivs. 

 in 6s, linear, glabrous, 1-veined, scabrous upwards on the margins ; ped. fili- 

 form, twice or thrice trichotomous, with short pedicels; lobes of the corolla 

 acute. Dry woods and hills, Mich., Ky. T. fy G. la. ! Stems very slender, 

 10 15' high. Leaves in numerous whorls, 5 8" by 1", slightly broader in the 

 middle. Flowers minute and numerous, white. Jn. 



* * Fruit hispid. 



5. G. APARINE. Common Cleavers. 



St. weak, procumbent, retrorsely prickly ; Ivs. in 8s, 7s or 6s, linear-oblan- 

 ceolate, mucronate, rough on the midvein and margin; ped. axillary, 1 2-flow- 

 ered. In wet thickets, Can. and Northern States to la. Plummer! Stems 

 several feet long, leaning on other plants, and closely adhering by their hooked 

 prickles to everything in their way. Leaves 12 20" by 2 3". Flowers nu- 

 merous, small, white. Fruit rather large, armed with hooked prickles. Jn. 

 The root will dye red. The herbage is valued as a domestic remedy. 1 



6. G. TRIFLORUM. Michx. Tri-flowering Galium. 



St. weak, often procumbent, smoothish, shining ; Ivs. in 5s and 6s, lanceo- 

 late, acuminate-cuspidate, 1-veined, scarcely ciliate on the margin; ped. elon- 

 gated, axillary, 3- (rarely 2 ) flowered at the extremity ; fls. pedicellate ; Jr. 



