Marsh-bedstraw - Galium palustre

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Alternative names
Marsh Bedstraw
Description

Straggly plant up to about 50 cm. Hairless with square stems. Leaves in whorls of 4 to 6 with a rough margin, one veined. Flowers white, occasionally greenish with red anthers. 2 to 3 mm usually four parted in a lax pyramidal panicle.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Moist or wet habitats such as wet ditches. Sometimes growing in water.

When to see it

June to August.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Fairly frequent in suitable locations throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent in suitable locations in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 326 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    26 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    31 July 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    26 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    The Park Field, Sapcote
    14 July 2008
  • Graham Calow
    The Park Field, Sapcote
    14 July 2008
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    30 June 2014
  • David Nicholls
    New Lount
    09 June 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Billington Rough, Elmesthorpe
    16 June 2016

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Common Marsh-Bedstraw, Marsh-bedstraw, Common Marsh Bedstraw
Species group:
Wildflowers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Gentianales
Family:
Rubiaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
79
First record:
11/05/1992 (John Mousley;Steve Grover)
Last record:
26/06/2023 (Cook, Joni)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    30 June 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    26 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    26 June 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    09 June 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Lea Meadows
    07 July 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Lea Meadows
    07 July 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    09 June 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Harby canal side
    28 July 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Harby canal side
    28 July 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Launde Fish Ponds
    22 September 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Launde Fish Ponds
    22 September 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Barrow Upon Soar
    15 July 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    30 June 2014