OVERVIEW: Purple bedstraw is a perennial herb with erect to reclining, 4-sided stems that can reach up to 2 feet (6 dm) long.  The leaves are 1 to 2 inches (3 to 6 cm) long, widest near the base and tapering to the tip, have 3 prominent veins, and are arranged in whorls of 4 along the stem.  The flowers, which are very small and have four purple lobes with long pointed tips, bloom from June to July and are arranged in open, branched clusters that grow from the upper stem nodes.  The ⅛ inch (3-4 mm), round fruits can have a smooth or grainy surface, distinguishing them from related species of bedstraw that have bristly fruits.

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Invertebrates | Birds & Mammals | Fish, Reptiles & Amphibians | Plants