RUBIACE^E. 



21S 



SPECIES VI.— GALIUM SAXATILE. Linn. 

 Plate DCLI. 

 Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVII. Tab. MCXC1V. Fig. 1. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2077. 

 G. Hercynicum, Weiy. D. C. Prod. Vol. IV. p. 598. 



Perennial. Stems weak, decumbent or prostrate, branched 

 throughout, especially towards the base, where there are very 

 numerous prostrate barren shoots ; flowering branches ascending, 

 glabrous. Leaves mostly 6 in a whorl, ratber firm, obovate 

 on the barren sboots, oblanceolate or oblong-oblanccolate on the 

 flowering branches, abruptly mucronate, 1-nerved, glabrous, ciliated 

 with small prickles pointing forwards. Flowers white, in compact 

 cymes arranged in a rather lax panicle ; branches ascending, much 

 longer than the leaves from the axils of which they spring. Lobes 

 of the corolla not cuspidate. Fruit glabrous, granulated with 

 small tubercles. Plant turning black in drying. 



On barren heaths and commons, and in upland pastures, 

 borders of woods, and on rocks. Very common, and generally 

 distributed. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Plant growing in rather dense tufts from the great number 

 of short prostrate barren branches produced at the base of the 

 stem • on these barren branches the leaves are small, 4 to 6 in a 

 whori, 1 to i inch long, and the internodes short. On the flowering 

 stem the internodes are elongated, the leaves are 6 in awhorl, 

 longer, narrower, and less enlarged towards the apex. 1 lowers 

 J), inch across, pure white, in few-flowered compact cymes ; Irmt- 

 pedicels divaricate. Fruit the size of the grains in a ng, 

 roughened all over with minute acute tubercles. Plant glabrous, 



or nearly so. 



Heath Bedstraw. 



French, Gaillet des Backers. German, Felsen Labhraut. 



SPECIES VII.-GALIUM SYLVESTRE. PeiL 

 Plate DCLII. 

 Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVII. Tab. MCXCII1. Fig. 3, 

 G. pusillum, Sm. Eng. Bot. No. 74 (non Linn.). 



Perennial. Stems slender, weak, spreading- ascending, slightly 

 branched throughout, with few barren shoots, glabrous or pubes- 

 cent below. Leaves 6 to 8 in a whorl, firm, linear-oblanceolate or 



