Galium boreale

Northern bedstraw

Rubiaceae Edible: Leaves, Seeds - coffee 28,113 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

iNaturalist· cc-by-sa

Summary

Galium boreale or northern bedstraw is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is widespread over the temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America including most of Canada and the northern United States.

Description

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The stems are leafy and often in clusters. The base is woody. The leafy stems are 70 cm high. The leaves do not have stalks. The leaves are narrow and in rings of four. They are 2.5-7 cm long. The flowers are small and in many flowered clusters at the ends of the stems.

Edible Uses

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. A tea is made from the flowering stems.

Traditional Uses

The leaves can be used in salads. The tender leaves and stems can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The roasted seeds can be used for coffee.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The plant is diaphoretic and diuretic. A decoction has been used as a contraceptive. Both Asperuloside (a terpenoid) and Coumarin (a benzopyrone) occur in some species of Galium. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins, which stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels, making the genus of significant interest to the pharmaceutical industry.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows on open, dry hillsides in the Rocky Mountains. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Asia, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Europe, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Luxembourg, Middle East, Mongolia, North America, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Slovenia, Tibet, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade. Tolerates dry soils but the leaves quickly become scorched when growing in full sun. This species does not thrive in a hot climate.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer, though spring sowing is possible and germination may be very slow. The plant reproduces readily without assistance. Divide in spring or throughout the growing season, keeping divisions well watered. Larger clumps can be replanted directly into permanent positions; smaller clumps are best potted and grown on in a cold frame until rooting well before planting out in spring.

Other Uses

A red dye is obtained from the root. The plant is also used as a stuffing material for mattresses.

Notes

There are about 300 Galium species. There are 60 species in tropical America.

Synonyms

Galium hyssopifolium Hoffm.Galium nervosum Lamk.Galium strictum Torr.and several others

Also Known As

Cleavers, Kvitmaure, Severna lakota

References (11)

Cormack, R. G. H., 1967, Wild Flowers of Alberta. Commercial Printers Edmonton, Canada. p 322
Elias, T.S. & Dykeman P.A., 1990, Edible Wild Plants. A North American Field guide. Sterling, New York p 86
Esperanca, M. J., 1988. Surviving in the wild. A glance at the wild plants and their uses. Vol. 2. p 112
Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org
Girard, N. J., 2020, Sustainable Foraging of Wild Edible Plants in Norway. A Biocultural Approach. M. Sc. thesis Norwegian University. p 135

Show all 11 references

MacKinnon, A., et al, 2009, Edible & Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine. p 269
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Porsild, A.E., 1974, Rocky Mountain Wild Flowers. Natural History Series No. 2 National Museums of Canada. p 364
Sp. pl. 1:108. 1753
Stubbs, R. D., 1966, An investigation of the Edible and Medicinal Plants used by the Flathead Indians. MA thesis University of Montana. p 64
Urgamal, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Nyambayar, D. & Dulamsuren, Ch. 2014. Conspectus of the vascular plants of Mongolia. (Editors: Sanchir, Ch. & Jamsran, Ts.). Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. “Admon“ Press. 334pp. (p. 79-90).