Nearctica - Eastern Wildflowers - Rubiaceae - White Wild Licorice (Galium circaezans)

White Wild Licorice

(Galium circaezans)

Color Photograph: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

White Wild Licorice (Galium circaezans Michx.)

Identification: Flowers small, greenish white, with 4 petals. Flowers sparse, in small clusters near the top of the plant. Fruit with hooked spines. Stem erect, square, without hooked spines. Leaves in whorls of 4, broad and large with 3 main nerves. Crushed leaves with licorice odor. Plant 12 to 24 inches in height.

Distribution: Throughout eastern North America.

Habitat: White Wild Licorice is most commonly found in dry woods.

Flowering period: June to July.

Similar Species: Northern Bedstraw, another species with leaves in whorls of 4 has much narrower leaves and large, complicated clusters of white, not greenish-white, flowers.