98 Madder ( 'Rubiacea ) . [No. 12 



Found, northward and southward, in dry woods, especially 

 about the trunks of pines. 



A pretty trailing and woody little evergreen, one to 

 two feet in length, retaining its berries and its leaves 

 throughout the winter. In color and size the red berries 

 resemble the Checkerberry, for which they are sometimes 

 mistaken — needlessly mistaken, however, for their double 

 " eyes " and their lack of spicy flavor easily distinguish 

 them. 



(2) GAlium, L. (Bedstraw). 



From a Greek word meaning " milk" because the flowers of one species, G. verum, 

 were used for curdling milk. 



Flowers, very small, in clusters ; the cluster-stems form 

 the axils of the leaves. Corolla, four-parted, wheel- 

 shape. Calyx, minutely four-toothed or entire. 

 Stamens, four, short, inserted on the tube of the corolla, 

 and alternate with its lobes. Style, two, united at the 

 base. Seed-case, adherent to the calyx. 



Leaves, simple, opposite, or in whorls around the slender 

 stems ; entire, without stipules. 



Fruit, dry, round, double, separating when ripe into two 

 one-seeded parts. Achenes or nutlets. 



Weak climbing and leaning herbs, with square stems 

 that in most species are very rough on the edges. 



Fig. 49.— Bedstraw. Goose-Grass. Cleavers. G. Aparine, L. 



Flowers, white, numerous. Cluster-stems, branching, 

 each branch bearing one or two (sometimes three) 

 blossoms. June. 



