bedstraw

/ˌbɛdˈstrɔ/

Other forms: bedstraws

Definitions of bedstraw

1. noun

   any of several plants of the genus Galium
   types:

   Asperula odorata, Galium odoratum, fragrant bedstraw, sweet woodruff, waldmeister, woodruff

   Old World fragrant stoloniferous perennial having small white flowers and narrow leaves used as flavoring and in sachets; widely cultivated as a ground cover; in some classifications placed in genus Asperula

   Galium boreale, Northern bedstraw, Northern snow bedstraw

   North American stoloniferous perennial having white flowers; sometimes used as an ornamental

   Galium verum, Our Lady's bedstraw, yellow bedstraw, yellow cleavers

   common yellow-flowered perennial bedstraw; North America and Europe and Asia

   Galium lanceolatum, wild licorice

   bedstraw with sweetish roots

   Galium aparine, catchweed, cleavers, clivers, goose grass, spring cleavers

   annual having the stem beset with curved prickles; North America and Europe and Asia

   Galium mollugo, false baby's breath, infant's-breath, white bedstraw, white madder, wild madder

   Eurasian herb with ample panicles of small white flowers; naturalized in North America

   type of:

   herb, herbaceous plant

   a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests