Galium trifidum
Three petaled bedstraw
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rubiaceae · Type: Vine · Native
Galium trifidum (Three petaled bedstraw) is a native California vine in the Rubiaceae family, recognized by distinctive 3-lobed flowers.
Three petaled bedstraw is a California native perennial herb found in moist habitats across northern mountain and coastal regions. Flowering from June to August, this delicate plant produces tiny white to pale pink flowers in small clusters with a distinctive 3-lobed corolla. Growing with slender, weak stems 10 to 50 centimeters long that become tangled and minutely rough, it develops intricate branching patterns. Its leaves grow in whorls of 4 to 6, measuring 4 to 19 millimeters long, with linear to elliptic shapes and rounded tips. When mature, the plant produces small, hard, spheric black nutlets that persist after flowering.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; distinctive 3-lobed flowers
Habitat and range
California counties: Nevada, Calaveras, Del Norte, Fresno, Tulare, Sonoma, Madera, Los Angeles, Monterey, Modoc, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Butte, Kern, Plumas, Santa Clara, Tuolumne, Merced, Mendocino, Riverside, San Bernardino, Shasta, Mariposa, Mono, Tehama, El Dorado, Yuba, Colusa, Lassen, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Marin, Trinity, Placer, Santa Cruz, Alpine, Ventura
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 trifidum native to California?
Yes. Galium trifidum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Galium trifidum grow?
Galium trifidum occurs in Nevada, Calaveras, Del Norte, Fresno, Tulare, Sonoma, Madera, Los Angeles and other counties.
What plant family does Galium trifidum belong to?
Galium trifidum 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.