Galium bermudense

Galium bermudense L.

Synonym: Galium hispidulum

Common Names: Bedstraw

Family: Rubiaceae

Habit: Galium bermudense grows as a highly branched perennial up to 50 cm in height.  The stems are square and pubescent to glabrous.  The leaves are arranged in whorls of 4.  The leaves are oval, slightly fleshy, up to 2 cm long (typically shorter), with a mucronate leaf apex and a slightly revolute margin.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers occur in cymes or panicles that are terminal or axillary. The calyx has 4 fused, pubescent, sepals.  The corolla has 4 fused white petals that form a short tube with a pubescent throat.  There are 4 stamens that are fused to the corolla. The ovary is inferior with 2 locules with 2 ovules.  The fruit is a blue-black pubescent berry at maturity.

Habitat: Galium bermudense grows in Pine Woodlands, and Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Woodlands (open coppice).

Distribution: Galium bermudense  occurs in the northern island groupings in the Lucayan Archipelago and the United States.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Galium bermudense is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.