Common Woodruff
Asperula conferta
Low, spreading herb. Flowers tiny, white and star-shaped, held in groups at the end of stems. Flowers spring-summer. Thin linear leaves small and narrow, in whorls of 5-6 leaves, hairless except along the mid-rib, and with sharp tip (but not prickly).
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Flora Type | Herbs |
| Distinctive Features | Tiny white star-shaped flowers. Square stems. |
| Biology | Perennial. Usually grows in moist, well drained soils. |
| Native Status | Native |
| Flowering Time | Sep-Dec |
| Taxonomy | |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants) |
| Class | Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants) |
| Order | Gentianales |
| Family | Rubiaceae |
| Genus | Asperula |
| Species | conferta |
From the Latin asper = rough, referring to the rough stems in most species (but not this one). Has male and female flowers, which occur on separate plants.
| Interesting Facts | |
|---|---|
| Similar Species | Similar to Prickly Woodruff but leaves have pointed but not prickly tips, and stems not densely hairy. |
| Native Status | Native |