San Diego bedstraw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Diego bedstraw |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Galium
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| Species: |
nuttallii
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| Synonyms | |
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Galium suffruticosum Nutt. in J.Torrey & A.Gray 1841, illegitimate homonym of Galium suffruticosum Hook. & Arn. 1833. |
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Galium nuttallii, also known as San Diego bedstraw or climbing bedstraw, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the coffee family, which might surprise you! This plant grows naturally along the coast and in the mountains of southern California and Baja California in Mexico.
You can often find it in areas with chaparral (a type of shrubland) and pine forests. It also lives on the Channel Islands off the coast of California and as far north as Santa Barbara County.
What Does San Diego Bedstraw Look Like?
Galium nuttallii is a plant that grows year after year. It has a strong, woody base and thin, sprawling branches. These branches can be green or reddish and can grow up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) long.
Its stems have groups of four tiny, sharp leaves. These leaves are less than a centimeter long. They are arranged in circles, called whorls, around the stem.
This plant is special because it is dioecious. This means that male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Both male and female flowers are reddish. After the female flower is pollinated, its ovary (the part that holds the seeds) turns into a small berry.
Different Kinds of San Diego Bedstraw
Scientists recognize two main types, or subspecies, of Galium nuttallii. These types are slightly different depending on where they grow.
- Galium nuttallii subsp. insulare Ferris
- This subspecies is found on the southern Channel Islands of California.
- Galium nuttallii subsp. nuttallii
- This is the more common subspecies. It grows on the mainland in California and Baja California.
