176 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
plants with square stems, and their leaves in whorls or stars, whence the order takes its name, Stella signifying a 
star. The four British genera contained in this order belong to the Linnaean class and order Tetrandria 
Monogynia, on account of their four stamens and their single style. 
GENUS I. 
THE BED-STRAW. (Galium, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character.— Corolla rotate, or campanulate, five-cleft. Fruit dry, not crowned by the calyx. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c.— All the kinds of Galium bear considerable resemblance to each other, and most of them 
are very slender weeds, with small but pretty flowers. The roots of most of them afford an excellent red dye. 
The name of Galium is derived from the Greek word for milk; and it was applied to this genus because 
G. verum was formerly used for coagulating milk. These plants are also called Bed-straw, from their fragrance ; 
as in ancient times, when beds were made of straw, it was the custom to strew them with fragrant herbs. 
* Fruit Smooth. 
1.—THE MUG-WEED. (Galium cruciatum, Lin.) 
Synonyme. —Crosswort. 
Engravings.—E ng. Bot., t. 143 ; 2nd ed., t. 203 ; and our fig. 
1, in PI. 39. 
Specific Character. —Leaves ovate, hoary, four in a whorl. Stem 
hairy, simple above. Flower-stalks axillary, corymbose, with two 
leaves. (Smith.) 
Description, &c.' —This plant is extremely common in every part of England. The root is perennial and 
creeping ; the flower is yellow and rather pretty ; the leaves are in whorls of four each, and the stem is 
decidedly square. The flowers appear in May. 
2.—THE WHITE WATER BED-STRAW. (Galium palustre, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1857; 2nd ed., t. 205; and our fig. 2, in a whorl, unequal in size. Stem weak; branched in the upper 
in PI. 39. part. (Smith.) 
Specific Character_ Leaves obovate, obtuse ; the upper ones four 
Description, &c.— This species is very common in ditches, and it is generally found growing near some 
reed, or other tall plant, against which it leans for support. Its flowers are small, and they appear in July and 
August. The plant is a perennial, with a somewhat creeping root. 
3— THE YELLOW BED-STRAW. (Galium verum, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 660 ; 2nd ed., t. 204 ; and our fig. 3, | Specific Character. —Leaves eight in a whorl, linear, channelled, 
in PI. 39. I entire, rough. Flowers in dense panicles. Fruit smooth. (Smith.) 
Description, &c.— This is the most ornamental of all the species; and as it has a strong honey-like smell, it 
was the kind generally used for strewing on beds, and was called pre-eminently Ladies’ Bed-straw. The whole 
plant was also much used in the time of Elizabeth and her immediate successors instead of rennet, to coagulate 
milk ; and it is said that Cheshire cheese was then always made with it. In later times the plant was 
