Galium odoratum 香豬殃殃, 香車葉草, 車軸草

Common name: Woodruff
Scientific name: Galium odoratum 香豬殃殃, 香車葉草, 車軸草
Genus: Galium 拉拉藤屬, 豬殃殃屬
Family: Rubiaceae 茜草科, coffee, madder or bedstraw family

Remarks*:

Origin: native

Date: 25th April

A rhizomatous perennial, can reach up to 45 cm.

Stem erect, unbranched and more or less glabrous. (vs scrambling or mat-forming plants in other Galium spp.)

Another plant.

Leaves elliptical, 6-9 per whorl. (vs leaves 4 per whorl in Galium boreale 北方拉拉藤, Northern bedstraw)169

Leaves enlarged below to see the details of the margin.

Leaf 1-veined. (vs leaf 3-veined in Galium boreale 北方拉拉藤, Northern bedstraw) Note the front part of the leaves are slightly serrated, with forward-directed prickles.)

Stem is square in cross-section and is grooved.

Flowers in umbel-like inflorescence (terminal panicle). (vs inflorescence axillary in other Galium spp.)

Stem is grooved.

Side-view of the flower buds and the bracts. Calyx absent.

Photo enlarged below.

Side-view of the flower showing the petals. Calyx absent. Corolla pure white, funnel-shaped, tube about as long as lobes. (vs flowers yellow in Galium verum 蓬子菜, lady's bedstraw)

Photo enlarged below to see the details of the flower.

Lateral view of the flower showing the anthers. 4 petals and 4 anthers.

4 anthers, 2 stigmas could be seen from this photo.

Another flower, enlarged below.

2 stigmas could be seen clearly in this photo.

Another flower, enlarged below.

4 anthers and 2 stigmas.