GALIUM, a genus of plants of the madder family (Rubi aceae), comprising 25o species of world-wide distribution, mostly slender herbs. Of these, io species are found in Great Britain and about 6o in North America. Well-known examples are G. Aparine (cleavers, goose-grass), G. boreale (northern bedstraw), G. verum (lady's bedstraw) and G. Mollugo (hedge bedstraw, baby's breath) . See CLEAVERS ; RUBIACEAE.