About Galium saxatile L.
Galium saxatile L., commonly called heath bedstraw, is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family, and is related to cleavers. It is a perennial mat-forming herb that grows in grassland, moors, heaths and woods. It can grow up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) tall, and flowers from May to August in the United Kingdom. Its stems are hairless and four-sided. It produces leaves 8–25 millimetres (0.31–0.98 in) long, arranged in whorls of 6 to 8 leaves, with a lanceolate or obovate shape. The mountain ringlet butterfly feeds on nectar from this plant. Galium saxatile avoids calcareous substrate, growing mainly on light siliceous soils. It is widespread across much of northern and central Europe, ranging from Portugal and Ireland to Scandinavia, France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. It has also been reported as being sparingly naturalized in Quebec, California and the Falkland Islands.
