Galium odoratum (Sweet woodruff)

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Galium odoratum (L.) Scop.

Sweet woodruff, sweetscented bedstraw

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Gentianales	Gentians, coffee, gardenias, frangipani, many others
Family	Rubiaceae	Coffee, madder, and bedstraw family
Genus	Galium	From Greek gala, “milk,” because some Galium species were used to curdle milk
Species	odoratum	Fragrant, sweet-smelling

About plant names...

Sweet woodruff is native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia.

Some members of Galium:

5/12/2007 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 35 cm)

	*Galium aparine*	*Galium mollugo*	You are here Galium odoratum
Common Name	catchweed bedstraw	smooth bedstraw	sweet woodruff
Plant	Stem is square stem, purplish in the spring, green as the plant matures. All parts of the plant are covered with tiny velcro-like hooks.	Up to 3' (1 m), vinelike. Stems are square and smooth.	Low-growing plant may reach 20" (50 cm) in length, but only about 8" (20 cm) in height. Plants have an appealing sweet scent
Flowers	4-petaled, white, ⅛" (3.2 mm) around, appearing from May to July.	Hundreds of tiny white 4-petaled flowers ⅛" (3.2 mm) across, producing white masses.	Small white flowers, each ⅛-¼" (4-7 mm) in diameter, are raised above the leaves on thin stalks
Leaves	Whorls of 6-8 leaves every few inches, each 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) long.	In whorls of 6-8, 1-1½" (2.5-3.8 cm) long, smooth.	¾-1¾" (2-5 cm) long, arranged in whorls of 6-9
Range/ Zones			USDA Zones: 4-8
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild
Occurrence	Common	Common	Common

Identification: This low-growing plant may reach 20" (50 cm) in length, but often forms flat mats on the ground, so it appears to be only a few inches high. Leaves are ¾-1¾" (2-5 cm) long, arranged in whorls of 6-9. Several such whorls can occur at regular intervals along the stem. Groups of small white flowers, each ⅛-¼" (4-7 mm) in diameter, are raised above the leaves on thin stalks. Plants have a sweet scent. Fruits are ¹/₁₆-⅛" (2-4 mm) in diameter, surrounded by tiny hooks like burrs.

Edibility: Sweet woodruff has been used as a flavoring agent, and for various herbal cures, but coumarin, which gives it its pleasant aroma, is toxic. The dried leaves' odor is like vanilla and grass.

Online References:

Missouriplants.com

Wikipedia

in Paghat's Garden

Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Wikimedia Commons

CalPhotos