Galium boreale : Bedstraw

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Rubiaceae (Madder Family)

Genera: Galium (Bedstraw) (Gk. gala = milk; referring to a European species used to curdle milk for cheese making.)

Species: boreale (Lat. Borealis = northern from Gk. Boreas = north wind, or god of the north wind.)

English Name(s):

Bedstraw, Cleavers, Baby's Grass, Lady's Bedstraw

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plants perennial, herbaceous (not woody) from creeping rhizomes (underground stems).
• Stems 4-angled (square), 20-80cm long simple or branched.

Leaves:

• Leaves 4 per whorl, sessile (stalkless), 3-4cm long by 2-12mm wide.
• Linear lanceolate to elliptic in shape
• 3-nerved (veined).

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower clusters) several to numerous flowered, richly branched, cymose panicles.
• Corollas (petals) white, drying yellow, 3-7mm wide, 4-lobed.

Seed:

• Fruit 1.5-2mm long.
• Densely hispid (stiff hairs).

Not to Be Confused With:

• Galium trifidum (Small Bedstraw) which can be distinguished by its 1-nerved (veined) leaves and usually trailing growth habit.

Physiology:

• Fruit of Galium species with their two round halves and bristly hairs, are said to look like a set of testicles.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Deciduous from rhizomes (rootstalk).
• Blooming in mid-July mostly in seed by end of the month.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Open gravelly places in meadows, and along riverbanks, disturbed sites in tundra, heathland and woods.
• Often pioneering in disturbed soils.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• 15ml dried plant in 125ml boiling water this can be taken as a remedy for kidney stones in daily 250ml doses made fresh each time.
• Plants warmed in hot water are placed on wounds to help blood clot.
• Plant juice or a strong tea is used for bathing slow-healing burns, open sores, inflamed stretch marks or any festering skin conditions.
• Plants also used in hot packs for relieving aches and pains.
• Plants used to make an infusion taken as a remedy for urinary tract problems.

Food:

• Leaves, seeds and roots can be made into beverages.
• Young plants can be eaten as a cooked green. One change of water eliminates bitterness.

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

• Galium was said to have filled the manger where baby Jesus lay. It was thus believed to be very holy, demons would not touch it.

Industrial:

• Plants dried are sweet smelling and were used to stuff mattresses.
• Roots mixed with wood ash and strawberry or cranberry juice were used to dye porcupine quills red to scarlet. If boiled to long it yielded a yellow dye.

Medicinal:

• Infusion was also taken as a stimulating kidney medicine.
• Plant infusion was used as a wash that was said to be strong enough for eczima and ringworm as well as for milder skin infections.

Food:

• Seeds can be dried and roasted, English country style, to make a coffee substitute.