Lady's Bedstraw


Lady's Bedstraw
Taken at Longniddry Bents on 30th June 2024 using Panasonic Lumix TZ70 in macro mode

Taken at White Sands on 25th June 2017 using Panasonic Lumix LX5 in macro mode.

Lady's Bedstraw.

Species:
Order:
Family:
Habit:
AKA:

Galium verum.
Gentianales.
Rubiaceae.
Annual.

Habitat:
Blooms:
Height:
Feature:

Grassland and hedgerows.
July - August.
15- 100 cms.
In medieval times it was believed that the Virgin Mary lay on a bed of this plant at the birth of Jesus and this led to its name, Lady's Bedstraw. This in turn encouraged women in childbirth to lie on the same plant to protect them from harm. It has been used by herbalists as a remedy for epilepsy and urinary problems. It has also been used as a dying agent. More recently it has been used to make the blood anti-clotting drug dicoumarol.