Alpine bedstraw facts for kids

Alpine bedstraw (scientific name: Galium hypotrichium) is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the coffee family. This plant grows naturally in the western United States. You can find it in mountains and high flat areas called plateaus. It lives in places like the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada mountains. These areas are in California, Nevada, and Utah.

Alpine bedstraw is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It often grows in low, spreading mats. These mats form from strong, woody bases. Sometimes, the plant stays very small, like a dwarf. Its stems might only be a few centimeters long.

The stems of the plant have many groups of leaves. These groups are called whorls. Each whorl has four leaves. The leaves are usually thick and rounded or oval-shaped.

The plant's flowers grow in small groups. These groups are called inflorescences. They stick out from the stems. The flowers themselves are tiny. They can be white. Sometimes, they have hints of yellow, green, pink, or red colors.

Different Types of Alpine Bedstraw

Scientists have found six different types, or subspecies, of Alpine bedstraw. These were recognized in May 2014. Each subspecies is a slightly different version of the plant. They often grow in specific areas.

• Galium hypotrichium subsp. ebbettsense Dempster & Ehrend - Found in Alpine County, California
• Galium hypotrichium subsp. hypotrichium - Grows in California and Nevada
• Galium hypotrichium subsp. inyoense Dempster & Ehrend - Located in Inyo County, California
• Galium hypotrichium subsp. nevadense Dempster & Ehrend - Found in Nevada and Utah
• Galium hypotrichium subsp. subalpinum (Hilend & J.T.Howell) Ehrend. - Grows in southern California
• Galium hypotrichium subsp. tomentellum Ehrend. - Found on Panamint Ridge in Inyo County, California