Galium grayanum
Gray's bedstraw
(c) Tom Hilton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rubiaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Galium grayanum (Gray's bedstraw) is a native California subshrub in the Rubiaceae family, recognized by small tufted/matted habit, widely ovate to round soft leaves.
Gray's bedstraw is a California native perennial herb found in rocky, open areas with scattered distributions across western mountain ranges at elevations of 2.5 to 27 centimeters. Flowering from late spring to summer, this plant produces small rotate flowers in subtle yellow to reddish tones, arranged on narrow, leafy inflorescences. Growing as a tufted or matted plant with densely hairy stems, it forms compact ground-hugging clusters. Its leaves grow in distinctive whorls of 4, measuring 4 to 17 millimeters long, with widely ovate to round shapes and obtuse to acuminate tips. The plant produces nutlets with long, straight brown hairs, giving it a distinctive textured appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 36 sympatric species; key features are small tufted/matted habit, widely ovate to round soft leaves
Habitat and range
California counties: Plumas, Butte, Trinity, Colusa, Lake, Lassen, Nevada, Shasta, Placer, Tehama, Siskiyou, Mendocino, Glenn, Sierra
How to tell it apart
vs Eriogonum: Galium has whorled leaves and tiny flowers; Eriogonum has alternate/basal leaves and dense flower clusters with papery bracts.; vs Sherardia: Galium flowers have stalks and no sepals; Sherardia flowers lack stalks and have six prominent sepals.; vs Baccharis: Galium has whorled leaves and tiny four-petaled flowers; Baccharis has alternate leaves and composite flower heads.; vs Lupinus: Galium has whorled narrow leaves and tiny rotate flowers; Lupinus has palmate compound leaves and pea-like flowers.; vs Euphorbia: Galium has whorled leaves and four-petaled flowers; Euphorbia has alternate leaves and milky sap with specialized flower cups.
Frequently asked questions
Is Galium grayanum native to California?
Yes. Galium grayanum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Galium grayanum grow?
Galium grayanum occurs in Plumas, Butte, Trinity, Colusa, Lake, Lassen, Nevada, Shasta and other counties.
What plant family does Galium grayanum belong to?
Galium grayanum is in the Rubiaceae family, genus Galium.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.