Santa Catalina Island bedstraw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Catalina Island bedstraw
Scientific classification
Genus:	Galium
Species:	catalinense

The Santa Catalina Island bedstraw (scientific name: Galium catalinense) is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the coffee family. This plant is special because it grows naturally in only two places in the world. These places are the Channel Islands of California.

You can find this plant growing along the edges of cliffs near the ocean. It is a shrub, which means it's a woody plant smaller than a tree. It can grow up to about one meter (about 3 feet) tall. Its stem is stiff and has groups of four leaves arranged in circles, called whorls. The leaves are a bit hairy and shaped like a spear, usually one to 2.5 centimeters long. Small, whitish flowers grow in tight bunches where the leaves meet the stem.

What Are Subspecies?

Sometimes, a plant species can have slightly different versions. These versions are called subspecies. They are still the same main species but have small differences, often because they live in different places. Scientists recognize two subspecies of the Santa Catalina Island bedstraw.

Subspecies of Santa Catalina Island Bedstraw

As of May 2014, these two subspecies are known:

• Galium catalinense subsp. acrispum - This subspecies grows on San Clemente Island.
• Galium catalinense subsp. catalinense - This subspecies is found on Santa Catalina Island.