Galium californicum subsp. primum

Alvin meadow bedstraw, Alvin Meadow Bedstraw

Family: Rubiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Alvin meadow bedstraw is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern California coastal and San Jacinto Mountain regions in Jeffrey and Coulter pine forest understory at elevations of 1,350 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces small white flowers in delicate clusters across its low, sprawling stems. Growing weakly to 29 centimeters tall, it forms a tufted or slightly decumbent habit with fine, sparse hairs along its slender branches. Its leaves are small and elliptic, measuring 4 to 12 millimeters long with acute to obtuse tips, arranged in whorled patterns along the stems. The fruit is nearly glabrous to minutely hairy, contributing to its subtle woodland character.

Habitat: Shade, lower elevations in Jeffrey-, Coulter-pine forests

Bloom period: Mar-Jul

Elevation: 1350-1700 m

Bioregions: SCo, SnJt.

California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.