fragrant bedstraw

(Galium triflorum)

Conservation Status
fragrant bedstraw
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Fragrant bedstraw is a 3 to 32 long, prostrate, perennial forb that rises on numerous stems from a creeping rhizome.

The stems lie flat on the ground (prostrate) or climb awkwardly on adjacent vegetation (scrambling). They are slender, weak, 4-angled, hollow, light green or reddish green, and usually unbranched but sometimes branched near the tip. They are usually rough with minute, stiff hairs. They usually also have hooked hairs at least near the base.

The leaves are stalkless and mostly in whorls of 6. On smaller branches thay may be in whorls of 4. The blades are narrowly elliptic to reverse lance-shaped, to 2 long, and up to ½ wide. They have a single prominent vein running from the base to the tip. There is an abrupt, short, sharp, firm point at the tip. The upper surface is hairless. The lower surface is hairless except for rough, hooked hairs along the midrib. The margins are untoothed and have a fringe of rough, forward-pointing hairs. When crushed the leaves emit a vanilla odor.

The inflorescence is 1 to 3 small, branched clusters of 1 to 3 stalked flowers at the end of the stem and rising from the middle and upper leaf axils. The flower stalks are often longer than the subtending leaves.

The flowers are 1 16 to wide. There are 4 greenish-white to white petals fused at the base into a short tube then separated into 4 short lobes with long-pointed tips. There are 4 short stamens and 2 short styles. At the base of the flower there 2 carpels. The carpels are joined together and are covered with hooked hairs.

The fruit is a green, ball-like, 1-seeded capsule, joined in pairs and separating at maturity. The capsules are covered with hooked hairs.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

Prostrate, 3 to 32 long

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Greenish-white to white

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Dry to wet. Woods, forests, prairies, meadows, fields.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

June to August

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  3/24/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Gentianales (gentians, dogbanes, madders, and allies)  
 

Family

Rubiaceae (madder)  
  Subfamily Rubioideae  
  Tribe Rubieae  
 

Genus

Galium (bedstraws)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Galium brachiatum

Galium pennsylvanicum

Galium triflorum var. asprelliforme

Galium triflorum var. viridiflorum

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

fragrant bedstraw

sweet bedstraw

sweetscented bedstraw

sweet-scented bedstraw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Axil

The upper angle where a branch, stem, leaf stalk, or vein diverges.

 

Bract

Modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, flower cluster, or inflorescence.

 

Carpel

The female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of an ovary, styles, and stigmas.

 

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.

 
 
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Luciearl

 
    fragrant bedstraw      
           
 

Growing in wooded area with moss at the base of a tree.

 
    fragrant bedstraw   fragrant bedstraw  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Vine

 
    fragrant bedstraw   fragrant bedstraw  
           
 

Leaves

 
    fragrant bedstraw      
           
 

Infructescence

 
    fragrant bedstraw      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Luciearl
5/9/2023

Location: Lake Shore

Growing in wooded area with moss at the base of a tree.

fragrant bedstraw  
  Luciearl
6/18/2020

Location: Cass County

fragrant bedstraw  
           
 
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