Galium nuttallii
San diego bedstraw, San Diego Bedstraw
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Rubiaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Galium nuttallii (San diego bedstraw) is a native California shrub in the Rubiaceae family, recognized by climbing woody habit turning dark red, small sharp-tipped leaves, and berry fruits.
San diego bedstraw is a California native perennial found in coastal and southern California mountain habitats, forming dense, tangled climbing stems. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces small rotate flowers with a reddish cast in delicate axillary clusters. Growing 6 to 15 decimeters tall with slender, woody stems that darken to deep red with age, it forms intricate, intertwined patches. Its leaves grow in tight whorls of 4, measuring 3 to 8 millimeters long, with narrow linear to ovate shapes that are leathery and tipped with sharp, stout hairs. The plant produces small glabrous berries in individual leaf axils.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; distinguished by climbing woody habit turning dark red, small sharp-tipped leaves, and berry fruits
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, El Dorado, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Lake, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Calaveras, Humboldt, Sonoma, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Riverside, Ventura, Alameda, Napa, Nevada, Marin, Tuolumne, Tulare, Butte, San Benito, Placer, Solano, Shasta, Sierra, Mendocino, Stanislaus, Monterey, Contra Costa, Yolo, Mariposa
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 nuttallii native to California?
Yes. Galium nuttallii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Galium nuttallii grow?
Galium nuttallii occurs in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego, El Dorado, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Lake and other counties.
What plant family does Galium nuttallii belong to?
Galium nuttallii 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.