Lady's Bedstraw
Taken at White Sands on 25th June 2017 using Panasonic Lumix LX5 in macro mode.
 Fact File



 


Taken at Doonfoot on 24th June 2018 using Panasonic Lumix LX5 in macro mode. Fact File

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.