Galium bifolium S. Watson
thin-leaved bedstraw (twinleaf bedstraw)
Rubiaceae (Madder family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Ryan Batten     (Photo ID #66968)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Galium bifolium
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Annual herb from a taproot; stems erect, solitary, simple or slightly branched, round, smooth, 5-20 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves few, soon deciduous; stem leaves in whorls of 4, with one pair smaller, upper leaves sometimes opposite, lanceolate to linear-elliptic, larger leaf pairs 1-2 cm long, smooth, 1-veined, entire, unstalked.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of solitary, stalked, axillary flowers; corollas white, cup-shaped, 3.5-7 mm wide, 3-lobed, soon deciduous; calyces obsolete.
Fruits:
Nutlets, 2, 2.5-3.5 mm long, with numerous, short, hooked hairs.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Galium bifolium

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
1143 820 1627
Slope Gradient (%)
19 0 70

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

140 77 215
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
4 1 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
6
Modal BEC Zone Class
IDF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BWBS(1), ESSF(1), IDF(3), SBS(1)

Habitat and Range

Moist to dry sites in the steppe and montane zones; infrequent throughout S BC; E to SW AB and S to CO and CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia