Galium porrigens
Climbing bedstraw
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rubiaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Galium porrigens (Climbing bedstraw) is a native California shrub in the Rubiaceae family, recognized by climbing habit with recurved clinging hairs and berry fruits.
Climbing bedstraw is a California native perennial vine found in coastal and inland mountain ranges in chaparral, forest, and woodland habitats. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces small, rotating flowers ranging from yellow to reddish in color. Growing with slender, woody stems 1 to 15 decimeters long that cling and climb by recurved hairs, it develops a distinctive climbing habit. Its leaves grow in whorls of 4, each 2 to 18 millimeters long with acute to rounded tips, creating a delicate, intricate foliage pattern. The plant produces small glabrous berries, completing its complex reproductive cycle.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; distinguished by climbing habit with recurved clinging hairs and berry fruits
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, Lake, Sonoma, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, Colusa, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt, San Benito, San Mateo, Ventura, Monterey, Mendocino, Marin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Nevada, Fresno, Madera, Trinity, Kern, El Dorado, Yolo, Placer, Napa, Solano, Butte, Mariposa, Contra Costa, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Sacramento, Calaveras, Tulare, Shasta, Amador, Tehama
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 porrigens native to California?
Yes. Galium porrigens is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Galium porrigens grow?
Galium porrigens occurs in Los Angeles, Lake, Sonoma, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, Colusa, San Diego and other counties.
What plant family does Galium porrigens belong to?
Galium porrigens is in the Rubiaceae family, genus Galium.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Galium porrigens var. porrigens — Climbing bedstraw
- Galium porrigens var. tenue — Graceful bedstraw
- Galium proliferum — Desert bedstraw
- Galium serpenticum — Intermountain bedstraw
- Galium serpenticum subsp. scotticum — Scott mountain bedstraw
- Galium serpenticum subsp. warnerense — Warner mountains bedstraw
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.