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LADY’S BEDSTRAW,. 
COLE 196, HGP WV, 
HE flower is formied of a fingle petal, and is divided almoft to the bafe into four fegmerit’: 
The cup is very fmall: it is formed of one piece, and divided into four parts ; and it ftands 
upon the rudiment of the fruit, The feeds are two: they are joined together, and have a loofé 
covering. 
Linnzus places this among the fetrandria monrgynias the threads in the flower being four} and 
the ftyle fingle. 
1. White Lady’s Bedftraw. 
Gallium album. 
The root is compofed of numerous, lohg, and 
tough fibres. : : 
The ftalk is fquare, weak, and of a pale green: 
itis not able to fupport itfelf; but it ufually grows 
within the reach of bufhes. It is very much 
branched, and two feet high. 
The leaves ftand in a ftellate manner at the 
joints of the ftalk, fix or eight at each joint ; 
and they are fhort, narrow, and of adeep; blackith 
green. 
The flowers are fmall and white: they grow 
in great numbers on the tops of the branches, 
and cover them with a {nowy whitenefs. 
The feeds are fmall. 
It is common in damp places among bufhes, 
and flowers in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gallium album latifolium. 
2. Four-leaved white Lady’s Bedftraw. 
Gallium album quadrifolium, 
The roots are fibrous. 
The ftalk is {quare, weak, very much branched, 
and a foot and half long ; but, if not fupported, 
it ufually ftraggles upon the ground. 
The leaves are placed at the joints ina radiated 
manner, but there are only four at each joint : 
they are broad, fhort, and of a deep green: thofe 
on the lower parts of the ftalks are fmooth ; but 
toward the top they are rough, 
The flowers are {mall and*white ; but they are 
“very numerous, covering the tops of the ftalk 
and branches. 
The feeds are large, and joined two together. 
Jt is common in wet places, and flowers in 
Auguft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gallium paluftre album. 
Some give this the Englifh name of White 
Lady's Bedfiraw ; but it properly belongs to the 
preceding fpecies. é 
3. Croffwort Lady’s Bedftraw. 
Gallium erefium quadrifolium leve. 
The root is long, flender, divided, and hung 
about with:a few ftraggling fibres. 
The ftalk is fquare, upright, redith, very little 
branched, and a foot high. 
The leaves are placed in a ftellated manner at 
the joints, and there are only four at each joint : 
they are oblong, and not at all indented ; and 
their colour is a delicate green. 
The flowers are fmall and white, and they 
N° 39: 
ftand in chufters on the tops of the ftalks and 
branches. : 
It is a native of our northern counties, and 
flowers in Auguft. 
Ray calls ic Mollygo montana eretta quadrifalias 
J. Bauhine, Rubia ereéia quadrifolia, 
"4: Dwarf white Lady’s Bedftraw: 
Gallium album minimum. 
_ The root is long and flender; and has-a few 
ftraggling fibres. : 
The ftalks are numerous, and about three 
inches long: they are fquare, {mooth, of a pale 
green, and not well able to fupport themfelves 
upright. 
The leaves ftand in a ftellate manner at dif= 
tances on the ftalks; and they are fmooth, and of 
a pale green. : : 
The flowers are very fmall and white; and they 
ftand in great abundance on the tops of the ftalks 
and branches. 
It is common on hilly ground, efpecially where 
there is fome wet. It flowers in July. 
€. Bauhine calls it Gallium album minus, 
Others, Mollugo montana minor. 
Authors have diftinguifhed a variety of this 
plant under the name of Gallium album minimum 
multicawle , but it is not a diftin& f{pecies : it is 
only this kind growing on a drier foil. 
§. Yellow Lady’s Bedfttaw, 
Gallium luteum. 
The root is long, hard, divided; and furnithed 
with a few ftraggling fibres, 
The ftalks are firm, hard, upright, not much 
branched, and two feet or more in height; and 
they are of a yellowifh green colour. 
The leaves grow in a ftellate mannef at the 
joints of the ftalks, a confiderable number toge. 
ther: they are oblong, narrow, and of a blackifi 
green. 
The flowers are fmall; but they are extremely 
numerous: they cover the tops of the ftalks with 
a fine gold yellow. : 
The feeds are fmall and brown. 
Ic is common in dry  paftures, and under 
hedges. It flowers in July. : 
C. Bauhine calls it Gallium luteum, a name al- 
moft all othet writers have copied. 
The flowers of this plant contain a latent acid: 
they will curdle milk. The country-people know 
this, and call the plant chee/e-renning. In medi- 
cine it is faid to be attenuating and deobftruent 5 
but its virtues are not eftablifhed on any good 
authority. phere 
gi GENUS 
