BED-STRAW. GOOSE-GRASS. CLEAVERS.
Galium Aparine, L. Madder Family.
Climbing by the prickly stem-angles and leaf-margins. Stems.—Weak; one to four feet long. Leaves.—In whorls of six to eight; linear oblanceolate; one inch long. Peduncles.—Elongated; one- to two-flowered. Flowers.—Minute; one line across; greenish-white. Calyx-tube.—Adnate to the ovary; limb obsolete. Corolla.—Mostly four-cleft. Stamens.—Four. Ovary.—Two-lobed, two-celled. Styles two, short. Stigmas, capitate. Fruit.—Two or three lines across, covered with hooked bristles. Hab.—Throughout the State.
All through our moist woodlands, in early spring, the long stems of the bed-straw may be found, running about upon the ground or entangled amid the stems of other plants. The angles of these weak stems and the leaf-margins and midribs are all clothed with small backward-pointing bristles, which make the plants cling to surrounding objects. The flowers are greenish and minute, and are followed by tiny prickly balls.
A cold infusion of this little plant is used as a domestic remedy in cases of fever, where a cooling drink is desired.
The genus has received the common name of "bed-straw," because it was supposed that one of the species, G. verum, filled the manger in which was laid the Infant Jesus. There are a dozen or so species in California.
Very conspicuous all through the south is G. angustifolium, Nutt., often three feet high, sending up very numerous slender, feathery stems from a woody base. This has its small leaves in whorls of four.