Galium triflorum

Galium triflorumClassification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Gentianales

Familia: Rubiaceae
Subfamilia: Rubioideae
Tribus: Rubieae
Genus: Galium
Species: Galium triflorum
Name

Galium triflorum Michx.
References

Fl. bor.-amer. 1:80. 1803
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Galium triflorum in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.

Vernacular names
English: cudweed, Sweet-scented Bedstraw, Fragrant Bedstraw
suomi: Lehtomatara

Galium triflorum (also known as cudweed, sweet-scented bedstraw, and fragrant bedstraw) is a herbaceous plant of the family Rubiaceae. It is widespread in northern Europe (Scandinavia, Switzerland, Russia, Baltic States), eastern Asia (Kamchatka, Japan, Korea, Guizhou, Sichuan, India, Nepal) and North America (from Alaska and Greenland south to Veracruz).[1] The plant is considered a noxious weed in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts.[2]

Galium triflorum grows on the forest floor, spreading vegetatively by means of stolons. It has whorled leaves and single fruiting peduncles rising above basal rosettes. There are six bracts in a whorl below the peduncle. Each peduncle has three fruiting structures, each having a single fuzzy ball. Stems are square in cross-section. The entire vine does not feel very coarse, but it is rough enough to stick to clothing.[3][4][5][6][7]

This species is sometimes confused with Galium odoratum, a species with traditional culinary uses.
References

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Galium triflorum
Biota of North America Program, Galium triflorum
Böcher, T. W. 1978. Greenlands Flora 326 pp.
Cody, W. J. 1996. Flora of Yukon Territory i–xvii, 1–669. NRC Research Press, Ottawa.
Gleason, H. A. & A.J. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada (ed. 2) i–910. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx.
Hultén, E. 1968. Flora of Alaska i–xxi, 1–1008. Stanford University Press, Stanford.
Flora of China v 19 p 139, Galium triflorum