Description

General - a slender, trailing perennial with smooth and weak square stems; either stretched out or leaning on other plants.

Leaves - in whorls of 5 to 6 on main branches, narrowly elliptic, 1 - 6 cm long, abruptly bristle-tipped, single-veined, sweet, vanilla-scented; hooked bristles along edges and below on midvein.

Flowers - 3 per stalk, in loose, open clusters at step tips and from upper leaf axils, become wide-spreading, 2 - 3 mm across; 4 petals, greenish white; appearing early summer.

Fruit - nutlets, 1.5 - 3 mm long, in pairs, covered with hooked bristles; appearing late summer.

Habitat

Moist places and damp woods; widespread across our region, north and west to souther N.W.T. and southwestern Alaska; circumpolar.

Notes

Fragrant Bedstraw contains coumarin compounds that smell strongly of vanilla. These compounds are indirect anticoagulants by blocking vitamin K, and have a delayed effect on the blood. Because these plants are sweet-smelling when dried, they were often used to stuff mattresses - hence the common name 'bedstraw'.

Return to Top of Page