Bedstraw - Galium triflorum

·        Bedstraw. [Date Accessed: July 7, 2008].

 

Nomenclature:

·        Galium triflorum

·        Family: Rubiaceae

 

Botany and Ecology:

·        Known as sweet-scent bedstraw because of their sweet, vanilla-like smell

·        Has weak square stems causing the plant to lean on other plants or to stretch out

·        Flowers appear early summer and the greenish-white blooms occur three per stalk

·        Habitat: moist soils and damp woods

·        Distribution:

o       United States: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TV, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY

o       Canada: AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT

 

Uses:

·        Edible:

o       Tea made from the leaves or flowering stems

·        Medicinal:

o       Infusion of the plant used to treat gallstones and kidney complaints

o       A number of species contain asperuloside that can be converted into prostaglandins

·        Other:

o       Root can be used as a red dye

o       Plant can be used as perfume

o       Plant poultice can be rubbed on the scalp to encourage hair growth

o       Used as stuffing material for mattresses, etc.

 

Conservation:

·        Conservation Status: Secure – Able to grow in a variety of habitats and elevations. Commercial interest in this slow growing plant may be a threat to wild populations.

·        http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Aletris+farinosa. [Date Accessed: July 7, 2008].

 

Sources:

·        Boreal Forest. Galium triflorum. http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb16.htm. [Date Accessed: July 7, 2008].

·        NatureServe. 2008. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Galium+triflorum. [Date Accessed: July 7, 2008].

·        Ibiblio. Galium triflorum. http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Galium+triflorum&CAN=LATIND. [Date Accessed: July 7, 2008].

·        Illinois Wildflowers. Galium triflorum. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/sw_bedstraw.htm. [Date Accessed: July 7, 2008].