Galium boreale

Nordic bedstraw ( Galium boreale )

The Nordic bedstraw ( Galium boreale ) is a flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae ( Rubiaceae ).

Description

The Nordic bedstraw grows as overwintering green, perennial, herbaceous plant that usually reaches stature heights of 15 to 50 cm. It forms a rhizome than Überdauerungsorgan, are formed from the woody stems often about. The bald or short- hairy, square stems growing upright stiff and is usually branched.

The leaves are arranged in whorls on the stem for four. The simple, tough, three annoying and dark green leaf blades are linear - lanceolate with a length of 15 to 40 mm and a width of 3 to 6 mm and narrows towards long to tip, but do not spike tip. The leaf margin is rolled back and rough.

The Nordic bedstraw flowers mainly during the months of June to August. The dense inflorescence is pyramidal or ovoid and floriferous. The hermaphrodite flowers are cruciform. The white vierzipfelige crown reached a width of about 3 mm.

The most 2.5 mm long fruit is usually covered by curved hairs.

Occurrence

The Nordic bedstraw comes from Northern Europe prior to northern Italy. East extends its range to Asia Minor and Armenia. It comes in Central Europe only regional basis spread.

In Germany Galium boreale is in the eastern area quite common, while it is very rare in the West and missing over large distances.

In Austria, the Nordic bedstraw is commonly found in all provinces.

In Switzerland, the Nordic bedstraw occurs scattered.

Galium boreale is growing both in wet meadows as well as on semi-arid grassland. It is also found in sparse pine or oak forests. It prefers alternating wet and mostly calcareous loam, clay or peat soils.