G A L I U M palustre.
White Water B ed -straw . .
TETRANDRIA Monogynia.
G en. C har. Cor. of one petal, flat, superior. Seeds 2,
roundish.
Spec. Char. Leaves four in a whorl, obovate, obtuse,
unequal in size. Steins weak and spreading,
branched in their upper part.
Syn. Galium palustre. Linn. Sp. PI. 153. Sm. FI.
Brit. 174. Huds. 6 7. With. 187. Hull. 35.
Relh. 55. Sibth. 58. Abbot. 33.
Molluginis vulgatioris varietas minor. Ravi Syn. 224.
V e r y generally found in ditches among reeds, and umbelliferous,
or other, tall water plants, on which its weak stems
lean for support, and so rise to the height of 3 or 4 feet.
Otherwise they are diffuse and of less extent. They are much
branched, quadrangular, generally smooth, sometimes rough-
edged. Leaves four in a whorl, spreading, linear inclining to
obovate, obtuse, smooth, except the edges of the upper ones,
which are rough, but not toothed nor serrated. It is peculiar
to this species to have two opposite leaves smaller and two
larger in the uppermost whorls. Flowers white, in large,
loose, three-cleft and somewhat umbellate panicles, with two
leaves only at their base, and merely a small solitary one occasionally
higher up. Stalks smooth. Calyx scarcely any.
Segments of the corolla broad, acute, but not pointed nor
awned. Fruit small, dotted, not rough, rarely perfected.
The roots are perennial and somewhat creeping. The
flowers last throughout July and August.