CLASS IV. ORDER I. 



GALIUM. 185 



Root small, fibrous, hearing numerous simple stems, from three to 

 twelve inches high, slentler, angular, rougli, with reflexed prickles, ami 

 bearing numerous whorls of small reflcxetl leaves; the lower ones some- 

 what ovale ; the upper lanceolate, with an acute, pale, bristle point ; the 

 margins reflexed, rough, with prickles pointed forward. Inflorescence 

 in small terminal and axillary clusters, the peduncles one or two from 

 the base of almost every whorl of the upper leaves, sometimes from every 

 whorl from the base to the extremity of the stems; and each peduncle 

 bears a pair of narrow hractem at the base of the first divarication, where it 

 separates mostly into three i)ranches, each of which is again subdivided. 

 Floivers small, pale, greenish-white; each segment of the corolla ribbed, 

 acute. Fruit mostly numerous, somewhat kidney-shaped, smooth, 

 .slightly tuberculated, in maturity quite separated from each other, or 

 having a central vacancy. 



Habitat. — Old walls and dry sandy groiuid, but rare. In Kent, 

 Norfolk, and Suffolk; Outwell church-yard wall, and near Wisbeach, 

 Cambridgeshire. 



Annual; flowering in June and July. 



12. G. sacchara'lttm, All. (Fig. 233.) ivarty-fruited Bed-straio. 

 Leaves six in a whorl, lanceolate, the margins rough, with prickles 

 pointing forwards; flower- stalks axillary, three-flowered; fruit 

 reflexed, tuberculated. 



Lindley, Synopsis, p. 129. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 67. — 

 Ga'lium verruco'sum, English Botany, t. 2173. — English Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 204. — Valen'tia Apari'ne, Linn. 



Root small, slender, becoming reddish with drying. Stems several, 

 spreading, from six to twelve inches high, somewhat branched, square, 

 the angles rough, with reflexed prickles. Leaves lanceolate, acute, 

 with a pale point, six in a whorl, plane, the margins rough, with 

 prickles pointed forwards. Inflorescence in axillary clusters of three 

 flowers ; the peduncles about as long as the leaves, bearing three small 

 pale yellow floivers, the two lateral ones of which are abortive, not 

 bearing pistils. Fruit a large double globe, rough, with pyramidal 

 tubercles, becoming reflexed. 



Habitat. — Corn-fields, rare. Discovered by Mr. G. Don, in corn- 

 fields in the Carse of Gowrie, Scotland. Near Malton, Yorkshire- 

 Mr. R. Miller. 



Annual ; flowering from June to August. 



13. G. tricor'ne, Withering, (Fig. 234.) rough-fruited Corn Bed- 

 straw. Leaves about eight in a whorl, lanceolate ; the margins, 

 midrib, and angles of the stem rough, with reflexed prickles ; 

 flower-stalks axillary, three-floweved ; fruit reflexed, granulated. 



English Botany, t. 1641.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 20.0. —Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 129. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 68. 

 VOL. I. 2 b 



