G A L I U M pufillum.
Leajl Ladies-bedjlraw.
T E T R A N D R IA Monogynia.
G en. C har. Cor. o f one petal, flat. Seeds two, roundifb.
Spec. C har. Leaves about eight in a whorl, rough,
linear, pointed. Flower-ftalks forked. Fruit
fmooth.
Syn. Galium pufillum. Linn. Sp. PI. 154. Hudf. FI.
An. 69. With. Bot. Arr. 154. Pillars Dauph.
v. 1 . 324. t. 8.
N E ITH E R Ray nor Dillenius feems to have noticed this
fpecies of Galium, unlefs it be what the latter intended by Gallium
album fupinum multicaule, Rupp. FI. Jen. 4. Raii Syn. 224.
It does not well agree with Ruppius’s defcription, which is however
a very indefinite one, and it may neverthelefs be the plant
of Dillenius. This fpecimen was gathered in July laft by Dr.
Smith, at Matlock Bath, Derbylhire, where it grows abundantly,
thriving much in the calcareous rocky foil originally depofited
by the Matlock water. Mr. Hudfon mentions the neighbourhood
of Kendall in Weftmorelarid as its place of growth.
The root is perennial. Stems fquare, extremely numerous,
from three to ten inches high, forming large tufts covered with
innumerable milk-white flowers, very confpicuous at a diftance.
The leaves are tipped with a fhort pale brittle, and, as well as
the Item, are generally, but not always, rough with fhort
fpreading hairs. They are not exa£Hy linear, but rather lanceolate,
from fix to eight, or even nine, in a whorl, equally
fpreading; the lower ones fo clofe together that they are almoft
imbricated; but that is by no means peculiar to this fpecies. We
have therefore omitted it in the fpecific charafter.
Our fpecimens agree precifely with thofe in the Linnsean
Herbarium from Monf. Gerard, except that his are rather lefs.
There is no certain figure of this Galium extant, except the indifferent
one of Monf. Villars.