The BRITISH HERBAL. 
397 
G E N U S IV. 
LADY'S BEDSTRAW. 
GALLIUM. 
■ c J „f , rmtrlp netal and Is divided almoll to the bafe into four fegments. 
T mt;^; X • it ttS orl= piece, and divided into ton.- patts . and it ftanc. 
tl Xnt of the fruit. The feeds are two : they are jonred together, and have a loofe 
Tlntus places thi, among the monospia; the threads in tire flower being four, and 
the ftyle fingle. 
I. |White Lady's Bcdftraw. 
GalUum album. 
The root iscompofed of numerous, long, and 
tough fibres. 
The ftalk is fquare, weak, and of a pale green . 
it is 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 Hand in a ftellate manner at the 
joints of the ftalk, fix or eight at "ch jomt ; 
and they are Ihort, narrow, and of a deep, black.Ilr 
^'The flowers are fmall and white: they grow 
in great numbers on the tops of the branches, 
and cover them with a fnowy whiKnefs. 
The feeds are fmall. 
It is common in damp places among bullies, 
and flowers in June. 
C. Bauhinc calls it Gallium dhum latifoKum. 
2. Four-leaved white Lady's Bedftraw. 
Gallium album quadrifilium. 
The roots are fibrous. 
The ftalk is fquare, 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 jouit! in a radiated 
manner, but there are Only four at each joint : 
they are broad, fliort, and of a d.ep green : thofe 
on the lower parts of the ftalks are fmooth ; but 
toward the tnp they are rough. 
The flowers are fmall and white ; but they are 
very numerous, covering the tops of the ftalk 
and branches. _ 
The feeds are large, and joined two together. 
It is common in wet places, and flowers in 
Auguft. , „ „ 
C. Bauhine calls it Gallium paluftre album. 
Some give this the Englifli name of White 
Lady's Bedftra-^ ; but it properly belongs to the 
preceding fpecies. 
3. CroflTwort Lady's Bcdftraw. 
Gallium e-aSlum quadrifalium Uve. 
The root is long, flender, divided, and hung 
about with a few ftraggling fibres. 
The ftalk is fquare, upright, redifh, 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. 
3 
ftand in cluftcrs on the tops of the ftalks and 
branches. 
It is a native of our northern counties, and 
flowers in Auguft. 
Ray calls it Molluge montana ereCla quadrifolia. 
J. Bauhine, Rubia trcRa quadrifolia. 
4. Dwarf white Lady's Bedftraw. 
Gallium album 7mnmiim. 
The root is long and flender, and ha; 
, few 
ftraggling fibres. 
The ftalks are numerous, and about three 
inches long : they are fquare, fmooth, of a pale 
green, and not well able to fuppott thenifelves 
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. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gallium album minus. 
Others, Mollugo montatia niinor. 
Authors have dirtinguifhed a variety of this 
plant under the name of Gallium album minimum 
multicaule ; but it is not a diftinft fpecies : it is 
only this kind growing on a drier foil. 
5. Yellow Lady's Bedftraw. 
Gallium luuum. 
The root is long, hard, divided, and furnifhed 
with a few ftraggling fibres. 
The ftalks are firm, hard, upright, not much 
branched, and two feet or more in height j and 
they are of a yellowilh green colour. 
The leaves grow in a ftellate manner at the 
joints of the ftalks, a confiderable number toge. 
ther : they are oblong, narrow, and of a blackiih 
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. 
It is common in dry paftures, and under 
hedges. It flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gallium luleum ; a name al- 
moft all other 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 tbeefe-renning. In medi- 
cine it is faid to be attenuating and deobftruent ; 
but its virtues are not eftablilhcd on any good 
authority. 
5 I GENUS 
