Wild Madder
Galium mollugo
From Nearctica
Alien: Native of Europe.
Identification: Flowers small (but larger than in most other Galium species), white, with 4 pointed petals. Flowers arranged in highly branched clusters near the apex of top of the plant. Fruit smooth, without hooked spines. Stem either erect or reclinging, smooth, without spinules, square. Leaves mostly in whorls of 8, elongate, narrow.
Distribution:Southeastern Canada, southward to Georgia. Also occurs in southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States.
Habitat: Wild Madder is found in a variety of disturbed habitats including fields, empty lots, and along roadsides.
Flowering period: June to August.
Similar Species: Cleavers, another species with leaves in whorls of 8 has rough, recurved spinules along the stem and fruits with recurved spines. The flowers of Cleavers are in small, not highly branched clusters.