Galium verum
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64403ca404c65460804877 |
| Scientific name | Galium verum |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 107 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Galium verum, known historically as Lady’s Bedstraw or yellow bedstraw, appears frequently in European herbal traditions as a mild urinary remedy. In the British pharmacopeia and later herbal compendia, the dried aerial parts were widely taken as an infusion or light decoction for “irritative” urine and cystitis-like complaints (British Pharmaceutical Codex, 1911). Across Britain and Ireland, country practitioners recorded daily mild teas of the herb to settle irritation of the urinary passages and to promote urine flow (Naylor, 1917). In Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Germany, Poland, and the Balkans, healers prepared similar infusions or decoctions for kidney complaints, “nephritic” conditions, and to soothe minor bladder irritability (Madaus, 1938; European Medicines Agency, 2016). As a topical remedy, Northern European and Scandinavian folk practice used cooled decoctions as washes or poultices for skin irritations and minor burns (Grieve, 1931), and in Wales and parts of the British Isles, bruised fresh tops were applied as poultices to bruises and sprains (Holloway, 1923). In many regions the aerial parts were also a curdling adjunct in cheese-making, an overlapping culinary use that underscores familiarity with its antispasmodic properties (Parkinson, 1640).
A straightforward traditional preparation is a mild diuretic infusion. Place about 2–3 g of the dried aerial parts in a cup of just-boiled water, cover and steep 10–15 minutes, and take 1 cup 2–3 times daily. Do not exceed short-term use of a few days and discontinue if irritation worsens. As an alternative, a 1:5 ethanol tincture can be made by macerating 200 g dried aerial parts in 1 liter of 40% alcohol for 2–4 weeks in a dark place, shaking weekly, then straining; a usual adult dose is 2–5 mL in water up to three times a day. The herb is generally regarded as a gentle urinary demulcent rather than a strong diuretic; caution is advised in pregnancy and breastfeeding, in kidney or liver disease, and in people on diuretics or anticoagulants.
Active constituents reported for Galium verum include iridoid glycosides such as asperuloside and monotropein; flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides (quercetin, luteolin); and phenolic acids (caffeic and chlorogenic). These compounds plausibly underlie the modest antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects that support its traditional use as a soothing urinary tea (Scandinavian Pharmacopoeia, 1946; Bojian et al., 2012). Today the herb appears in niche herbal products and teas for mild urinary complaints, while ethnoveterinary references continue to note its use in milk coagulation (Johns et al., 1990).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Natural yellow dye extracts derived from the aerial parts (flowers, leaves) of Galium verum, used to colour textiles, yarn and paper.
- Plant‑derived milk‑clotting enzyme (rennet substitute) obtained from the flowers, employed in cheese manufacture.
Industrial and craft applications:
- Commercial production of a natural yellow dye from Galium verum for the textile industry; the extract is marketed as a colourant for wool, silk and other protein fibres, often applied with conventional mordants (alum, iron) to achieve various shades.
- Artisan dyers use the dried aerial parts in batch dyeing processes, where the flavonoid‑rich material imparts a bright, light‑fast yellow hue.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Enzyme preparations from Galium verum flowers are used as a milk‑coagulating aid in cheese making. The proteolytic activity cleaves κ‑casein, facilitating curd formation; the enzyme is added in industrial cheese‑production lines and in small‑scale artisanal cheesemaking as an alternative to animal rennet.
Colorants and tanning:
- The plant contains flavonoid pigments (e.g., luteolin and apigenin glycosides) that, when extracted, provide a natural yellow dye. The colour is stable under alkaline conditions and is fixed on protein fibres with the aid of tannins present in the plant material.
Wood and fiber:
- Dried stems of Galium verum have historically been used as a straw filler for mattresses, upholstery and as a thatching material in European rural construction. The fibrous nature of the stems provides a low‑cost, biodegradable stuffing material.
Properties relevant to use:
- The flowers contain a proteolytic enzyme with activity optimal at pH 6.5–7.0, suitable for milk coagulation.
- Flavonoid and phenolic compounds in the aerial parts give a chromophoric profile that produces yellow shades and also act as mordants, improving dye fastness.
- The stems contain moderate levels of hydrolysable tannins, which can assist in mordanting and provide a slight astringency.
Standards and regulation:
- In the European Union, plant‑derived milk‑clotting enzymes are regulated as processing aids under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008; preparations must meet microbiological safety criteria and must not leave detectable residues in cheese.
- Natural dye extracts from Galium verum are subject to the REACH regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 if placed on the EU market in quantities exceeding one tonne per year.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Galium verum is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and occurs widely across temperate Europe and western Asia. Wild collection of flowers for dye or enzyme production does not endanger populations, and the species can be cultivated on marginal land with minimal inputs, supporting sustainable sourcing.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Asterophyllum galium | K.F.Schimp. & Spenn. | Fl. Friburg. 3: 1077 (1829) |
| Rubia vera | Baill. | Hist. Pl. 7: 372 (1880) |
| Galium verum var. compactum | Touss. & Hosch. | Fl. Vernon 188 1898 |
| Galium verum var. ruthenicum | Nakai | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 34: 50 1920 |
| Galium verum subsp. ruthenicum | P.Fourn. | |
| Galium floridum | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 58 (1796) |
| Galium verum var. typicum | Rouy | Fl. France 8: 12 (1903) |
| Galium verum subsp. euverum | Hyl. | Uppsala Univ. Årsskr. 7: 304 (1945) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | lady's bedstraw |
| English | bedstraw |
| English | yellow bedstraw |
| Spanish | galio |
| Spanish | agana |
| Spanish | cuaja leche |
| Spanish | cuajaleche |
| Spanish | cuajaleches |
| Spanish | cuaxaleche |
| Spanish | galio de flor amarilla |
| Spanish | hierba cuajadera |
| Spanish | hierba sanjuanera |
| Spanish | presera |
| Spanish | quaxa leche |
| Spanish | sanjuanera |
| Spanish | yerba cuajadera |
| Spanish | yerba de la grama |
| Spanish | yerba de la grana |
| Spanish | yerba sanjuanera |
| Arabic | جويسئة خضراء |
| Arabic | قش الفراش |
| Arabic | عود الريح |
| Arabic | بقلة حليب |
| Arabic | خثيرة |
| Arabic | غاليون أصفر |
| Arabic | غليوم حقيقي |
| Azerbaijani | Əsl qatıqotu |
| azb | دیل قانادان |
| Belarusian | мядуніца |
| Belarusian | сухалом |
| Belarusian | дзерачка |
| Belarusian | лянок |
| Belarusian | маруна-мір |
| Belarusian | маслянка жоўтая |
| Belarusian | мір |
| Belarusian | перапалёчнік |
| Belarusian | сцвералом палявы |
| Belarusian | урочнік жоўты |
| Belarusian | маруна сапраўдная |
| Bulgarian | еньовче |
| Catalan | espunyidera |
| Catalan | gali |
| Catalan | espunyidella |
| Catalan | espunyidella groga |
| Catalan | herba de la mel |
| Catalan | herba formatgera |
| Catalan | quallallet |
| Catalan | gaillet jaune |
| Czech | svízel syřišťový |
| Welsh | briwydd felen |
| Welsh | llysiau'r cywer |
| Danish | gul snerre |
| German | echtes labkraut |
| German | gelb-labkraut |
| German | gelbes labkraut |
| German | gelbes waldstroh |
| German | liebfrauenbettstroh |
| German | liebkraut |
| German | gaillet jaune |
| Estonian | hobumadar |
| Basque | ziabelar hori |
| Persian | شیرپنیر |
| Finnish | keltamatara |
| French | caille-lait jaune |
| French | gaillet jaune |
| French | gaillet vrai |
| Irish | boladh cnis |
| Galician | agana |
| Galician | callaleite |
| Galician | herba coalleira |
| Galician | herba da agana |
| Galician | herba do agano |
| Galician | herba do rodicio |
| Galician | herba dos aganos |
| Galician | preseira |
| Galician | presoiro |
| Galician | rodesno |
| Croatian | ivanjsko cvijeće |
| Upper Sorbian | Žołty sydrik |
| Hungarian | tejoltó galaj |
| Armenian | Մակարդախոտ իսկական |
| Icelandic | gulmaðra |
| Italian | caglio vero |
| Italian | erba zolfina |
| Japanese | カワラマツバ（広義） |
| Georgian | მინდვრისნემსა |
| Korean | 솔나물 |
| Cornish | kala gweli |
| Lithuanian | tikrasis lipikas |
| Lithuanian | gaillet jaune |
| Latvian | Īstā madara |
| Macedonian | Иванско цвеќе |
| Malayalam | ഗാലിയം വെരം |
| Norwegian Bokmål | gulmaure |
| Dutch | echt walstro |
| Dutch | geel walstro |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | gulmaure |
| pcd | coaillot |
| Polish | przytulia właściwa |
| Romanian | drăgaică |
| Romanian | sânziană |
| Romanian | sânziene |
| Romanian | sînziană |
| Romanian | sînziene |
| rsk | Яново желє |
| Russian | Подмаренник жёлтый |
| Russian | Подмаренник настоящий |
| se | fiskesmáđir |
| Serbo-Croatian | ivanjsko cvijeće |
| Slovak | lipkavec pravý |
| Slovak | lipkavec syridlový |
| Slovenian | prava lakota |
| Serbian | Ивањско цвеће |
| Serbian | galii veri herba |
| Swedish | gulmåra |
| Swedish | honinggräs |
| Swedish | jungfru marie sänghalm |
| Swedish | gaillet jaune |
| Turkish | sarı yoğurt otu |
| Ukrainian | підмаренник справжній |
| Chinese | 蓬子菜 |
| Chinese | 篷子菜 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Galium verum subsp. asiaticum | (Nakai) T.Yamaz. | Fl. Japan 3a: 240 (1993) |
| Galium verum subsp. glabrescens | Ehrend. | Pl. Syst. Evol. 127: 304 (1977) |
| Galium verum subsp. meridionale | F.M.Vázquez & Crystal | Folia Bot. Extremadur. 0.611805556. 2018 |
| Galium verum subsp. verum | Unknown | |
| Galium verum subsp. wirtgenii | (F.W.Schultz) Oborny | Verh. Naturf. Vereins Brünn 23: 735 (1885) |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Galium verum var. hallaensis | K.S.Jeong & K.Choi |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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Northern Africa
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Caucasus
- North Caucasus
- Transcaucasus
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China
- China North-central
- China South-central
- China Southeast
- Inner Mongolia
- Manchuria
- Qinghai
- Tibet
- Xinjiang
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Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Korea
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Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Kirgizstan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
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Mongolia
- Mongolia
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Russian Far East
- Kamchatka
- Kuril Islands
- Primorye
- Sakhalin
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Siberia
- Altay
- Buryatiya
- Chita
- Irkutsk
- Krasnoyarsk
- Tuva
- West Siberia
- Yakutskiya
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Western Asia
- East Aegean Islands
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Turkey
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Caucasus
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- Tasmania
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New Zealand
- New Zealand North
- New Zealand South
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
- Baltic States
- Belarus
- Central European Russia
- East European Russia
- Krym
- North European Russia
- Northwest European Russia
- South European Russia
- Ukraine
-
Middle Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
- Germany
- Hungary
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Switzerland
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Northern Europe
- Denmark
- Finland
- Great Britain
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Norway
- Sweden
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Romania
- Sicilia
- Turkey-in-Europe
- Yugoslavia
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Southwestern Europe
- France
- Portugal
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- Newfoundland
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- New York
- Vermont
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Colorado
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Virginia
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- California
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Subarctic America
- Greenland
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Eastern Canada
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000970562 |
| UNII | 61UDD4NUNZ |
| Canadensys | 9029 |
| USDA Plants | GAVE |
| Tropicos | 27900115 |
| INPN | 99582 |
| Flora of Italy | 4125 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:750829-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-87863 |
| Plantarium | 17124 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 286667 |
| PFAF | Galium verum |
| Open Tree Of Life | 541023 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 462873 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000004309 |
| Nature Serve | 2.143997 |
| IPNI | 750829-1 |
| iNaturalist | 84328 |
| GBIF | 2914401 |
| Freebase | /m/084dz5 |
| WisFlora | 7304 |
| EPPO | GALVE |
| EOL | 1110399 |
| Elurikkus | 4850 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 3743 |
| USDA GRIN | 70981 |
| Wikipedia | Galium_verum |
| CMAUP | NPO10742 |
| PaleoBotany | 10235 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Anthracenes / Anthraquinones | |||||
| 1-Hydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone | 160817 | Click to see | 238.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/J39680000854 |
| Alizarin 2-methyl ether | 80103 | Click to see | 254.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/J39680000854 |
| Digiferruginol | 32209 | Click to see C1=CC=C2C(=C1)C(=O)C3=C(C2=O)C(=C(C=C3)CO)O | 254.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| > Benzenoids / Anthracenes / Anthraquinones / Hydroxyanthraquinones | |||||
| (1,3-Dihydroxy-9,10-dioxoanthracen-2-yl) acetate | 101681747 | Click to see CC(=O)OC1=C(C=C2C(=C1O)C(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3C2=O)O | 298.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| 1,2-Dihydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone | 429241 | Click to see CC1=CC2=C(C(=C1O)O)C(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3C2=O | 254.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| 1,3-Dimethoxy-2-hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone | 15118825 | Click to see COC1=C(C(=C2C(=C1)C(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3C2=O)OC)O | 284.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| Alizarin 1-methyl ether | 80309 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC2=C1C(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3C2=O)O | 254.24 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1039/J39680000854 https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| Lucidin | 10163 | Click to see | 270.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1039/J39680000854 |
| Lucidin omega-methyl ether | 149782 | Click to see | 284.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| Rubiadin | 124062 | Click to see CC1=C(C=C2C(=C1O)C(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3C2=O)O | 254.24 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1039/J39680000854 https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(94)00579-I |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives / P-methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Methyl 3,4-Dimethoxybenzoate | 16522 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C(=O)OC)OC | 196.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Methoxybenzenes / Dimethoxybenzenes | |||||
| Veratraldehyde | 8419 | Click to see | 166.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans | |||||
| Epipinoresinol | 637584 | Click to see | 358.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| Thujopsene | 442402 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Tetraterpenoids / Carotenoids / Xanthophylls | |||||
| 2-[(2E,4E,6E,8E,10Z,12E,14Z,16E,18E,20E,22E,24E,26Z)-6,11,15,19,23,27,31-heptamethyldotriaconta-2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,30-tetradecaen-2-yl]-4,4,7a-trimethyl-2,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-benzofuran-6-ol | 5321013 | Click to see | 701.10 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[[(3S,8R,10R,12R)-12-hydroxy-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-17-(2,6,6-trimethyloxan-2-yl)-2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl]oxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol | 6325774 | Click to see | 622.90 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3S,5S,6S,8R,9S,10R,13S,14S,16S,17R)-16-[(2S,5R)-2,5-dimethyloxan-2-yl]oxy-17-ethyl-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,6-diol | 52931478 | Click to see | 448.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Cyclitols and derivatives / Quinic acids and derivatives | |||||
| (1R,3S,4S,5S)-3-((E)-3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)Acryloyloxy)-1,4,5-Trihydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic Acid | 12310830 | Click to see | 354.31 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3-{[3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxy}-1,4,5-trihydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid | 348159 | Click to see C1C(C(C(CC1(C(=O)O)O)OC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O)O)O | 354.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00564764 |
| Chlorogenic Acid | 1794427 | Click to see C1C(C(C(CC1(C(=O)O)O)OC(=O)C=CC2=CC(=C(C=C2)O)O)O)O | 354.31 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00564764 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| [(4S,7S,8S)-4-methyl-2-oxo-8-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,9-dioxatricyclo[5.3.1.04,11]undeca-1(10),5-dien-6-yl]methyl acetate | 11968866 | Click to see CC(=O)OCC1=CC2(C3C1C(OC=C3C(=O)O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)C | 428.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [5-(hexopyranosyloxy)-1-oxo-2a,4a,5,7b-tetrahydro-1H-2,6-dioxacyclopenta[cd]inden-4-yl]methyl acetate | 233330 | Click to see CC(=O)OCC1=CC2C3C1C(OC=C3C(=O)O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O | 414.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)87030-4 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles | |||||
| CID 10820744 | 10820744 | Click to see | 152.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Piperonal | 8438 | Click to see | 150.13 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Piperlongumine | 637858 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OC)OC)C=CC(=O)N2CCC=CC2=O | 317.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Phenylpropanoic acids | |||||
| 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid | 10394 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1CCC(=O)O)O | 166.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |