Jo
[ 66 o ]
G A L I U M verurfh
Yellow Bed-ßraw.
T E T R A N B R I A Mojiogynia.
G en. C har. Cor. of one petal, flat, fuperior. Seeds
two, rountlifh.
Spec. Char. Leaves 8 in a whorl, linear, channelled*
entire, rough» Flowers in denfe panicles. Fruit
fmooth.
Syn . Galium verum. Linn. Sp. PI. 155. Sm. FI.
Brit. 178. Hudf. 69. With: 191. Hull. $6.
Relh. 66. Sihth. 59. Allot. 34. Curt. Land,
fafc. 6. t. 13. Mart. F l. Ruß. t. 54. Dich/. H.
Sicc. fafc. 17. 4.
G. luteum. Raii Syn. 224»
F R E Q U E N T in the borders of dry fields, ,and on little bufhy
hills, which it enlivens with a profufion of bright-yellow flowers,
diffnfing a honey-like rather oppreffive fcent, in the months
of July and Auguft.
Root perennial, creeping) of a tawny hue, evincing its affinity
to Madder. Stems about a foot and half high, feldom quite
upright, unlefsfupported; branched at thebafe; panicled above;
roundifh, fmooth. Leaves eight in each whorl, pointing downward,
linear, entire, tipped with a fmall point, dark green, rough
above. Flower-ftalks niuch branched, corymbofe, many-flowered,
cluftered together into a long denfe leafy panicle. Flowers
yellow. Stamina very fhort. Antherse turning brown in decay.
Fruit fmooth, blackifli.
The power of this herb to coagulate milk is Well known, and
Gerarde tells us the beft Chefhire .cheefe in his time Was made
with it. Ray relates, on the authority of an old Daflifh writer,
that a pleafant acid liquor is procured from the flowers by dif-
tillation in a moderate fand-heat. From fome handfulls of the
flowery tops the quantity of 3 ounces of this liquor, a kind of
vinegar, was obtained.
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