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Galium mollugo

Common name:	Hedge Bedstraw	Family:	Rubiaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:	Galium erectum (Huds.), Galium elatum (Thuill.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and temperate Asia.
Habitat:	Hedgebanks, open woodland, scrub and grassy slopes, especially on base-rich and calcareous soils[17].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	G. mollugo ssp. erectum[B,P] G. mollugo var. erectum[B,P] G. molugo[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Beyaz Yogurtotu [E], False Baby's Breath [P], False Baby's-breath [B], Glad Walstro [D], Great Hedge Bedstraw [L], Hedge Bedstraw [H], Smooth Bedstraw [L], White Bedstraw [H], Wild Madder [H],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Rubiales. Madder family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Europe; Turkey

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1.2m by 0.6m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to September, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies and beetles. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedgerow, Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked[62].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antispasmodic; Lithontripic; Vulnerary.

The plant is lithontripic and vulnerary. It is also used in the treatment of epilepsy and hysteria[4].
A number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries[238]. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry[238].

Other Uses

Dye; Ground cover.

A red dye is obtained from the root[100, 168]. It is very fiddly to utilize[169].
A good ground cover for growing in cool shade under shrubs or in the woodland garden[200].

Cultivation details

Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[200]. Tolerates dry soils but the leaves quickly become scorched when growing in full sun[200]. This species does not thrive in a hot climate[200].
A polymorphic species[17].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer[200]. The seed can also be sown in spring though it may be very slow to germinate[200]. This plant does not really need any help to reproduce itself.
Division in spring or throughout the growing season if the plants are kept well watered[200]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Galium molugo (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for the family Rubiaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[100] Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969 ISBN 0192176218
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.

[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.

[169] Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.