Northern Bedstraw: Galium boreale (Synonym: Galium boreale ssp. septentrionale)

Characteristics:

Northern bedstraw is an erect perennial with smooth herbage, from 15-80 cm tall. It may be simple stemmed, or branched. The leaves are usually in whorls of 4 with individual leaves lanceolate or linear, 1.5-4 cm long, and with 3 nerves on the lower leaves and 1 nerve on the upper.

The inflorescence is showy with numerous flowers in a cymose panicle. Individual flowers are 3.5-7 mm wide with 4 white petals.

Habitat:

Northern bedstraw is found from sea level to well up in the mountains, often in moist meadows.

Range:

Northern bedstraw is found from the Arctic south to California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, and as far east as West Virginia.

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Northern bedstraw as seen in beautiful bloom along the Stubblefield Trail about one mile northwest of Stubblefield Lake, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge......July 4, 2018.

A close-up of the inflorescence of northern bedstraw as seen in meadows at the junction of FS Roads 42 and 4240, Ochoco National Forest.........June 21, 2017.

The photo above shows a close-up of the upper stem and several whorls of leaves of northern bedstraw. The whorls contain 4 leaves which are 3-nerved.