About Galium serpenticum Dempster
Galium serpenticum Dempster is a perennial herb that forms tufts of erect stems reaching up to around 30 centimeters in height, with woody stem bases. Its stems bear whorls of four lance-shaped leaves arranged in rings around the stem. The tops of the stems hold inflorescences made of clusters of small, pale yellow to whitish flowers. This species is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate individual plants. Both male and female flowers have four small petals that range in color from pale yellow to yellow-green. Female flowers have a distinct, prominent tuft of long, spreading hairs that extends out beneath the petals. Galium serpenticum is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in dry mountain forests and meadows. Most of its range lies east of the Cascade Range crest, and it can be found in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and the extreme northern part of California, specifically in Trinity, Siskiyou, and Modoc Counties. It is sometimes found growing on serpentine soils in the Wenatchee Mountains.
