Skip to main content
Galium mollugo

Galium mollugo

9.9
A wild plant with loose groups of small white flowers that grows in Europe and North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Galium mollugo
  • The delicate white flowers of Galium mollugo make it easy to identify in the wild.

Examples

  • Botanists observed the spread of Galium mollugo into fields across North America.

  • Galium mollugo often grows along roadsides and in meadows throughout Europe.

  • The Galium mollugo is often found in damp meadows.

  • Have you seen the Galium mollugo blooming this spring?

  • Galium mollugo is commonly found in grassy areas, thriving in damp soil with plenty of sunlight.

  • Many gardeners appreciate Galium mollugo for its beautiful, fragrant white flowers that attract pollinators.

  • During our hike, we noticed patches of Galium mollugo growing along the trail, adding charm to the landscape.

Synonyms

white bedstraw
vsGalium mollugo
  • UK
9.9

A wild herb from Europe and Asia with small white flowers that grows in meadows

emphasizes hedges as its more common natural habitat
wild madder
vsGalium mollugo
  • UK
9.9

A plant from Europe and Asia with many small white flowers that grows in North America

forms looser less dense clusters of small white flowers

Surface Forms

Galium mollugo singular
Galium molluga singular

Morphology

Galium + mollugo

This is a Latin binomial (a species name) rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing 'Galium' only signals a genus of herbs and 'mollugo' is not a meaningful English word, so the specific sense ('hedge bedstraw, a particular Eurasian herb') cannot be derived. As a technical botanical name, the meaning is language-specific and unpredictable for a B1 learner even if they recognise the genus.

Etymology

Galium mollugo gets its name from old words: Galium may come from a Greek word for 'milk' because some related plants were used to help make cheese, and mollugo likely means 'soft', for its soft leaves. So the name points to a small, soft plant with loose white flowers, helping you remember it as the 'hedge bedstraw'.