Medicinal plant Galium verum Lady s bedstraw Labkraut

Synonyms Our Lady s Bedstraw Yellow Bedstraw Maid s Hair Petty Mugget Cheese Renning Cheese Rennet Habitat Yellow Bedstraw is abundant on dry banks chiefly near the sea Its small bright yellow flowers are closely clustered together in dense panicles at the tops of the wiry square upright stems which are I to 3 feet high and bear numerous very narrow almost thread like leaves placed six to eight together in whorls The flowers are in bloom in July and August The plant is inodorous but has an astringent acidulous and bitterish taste The common English name of this plant Our Lady s Bedstraw is derived from its use in former days even by ladies of rank for stuffing beds The origin of the name is more probably from the Christian legend that this was one of the Cradle Herbs i e was in the hay in the manger at Bethlehem EDITOR Dr Fernie tells us that because of its bright yellow blossoms this herb is also named Maid s Hair for in Henry VIII s reign maydens did wear silken callis to keep in order their hayre made yellow with dye It has also been known as Petty Mugget from the French petit muguet a little dandy The plant has the property of curdling milk hence another of its popular names Cheese Rennet It was called Cheese Renning in the sixteenth century and Gerard says quoting from Matthiolus a famous commentator of Dioscorides the people of Thuscane do use it to turne their milks and the cheese which they make of sheepes and goates milke might be the sweeter and more pleasant to taste The people in Cheshire especially about Nantwich where the best cheese is made do use it in their rennet esteeming greatly of that cheese above other made without it The rich colour of this cheese was probably originally derived from this plant though it is now obtained from annatto The Highlanders also made special use of Yellow Bedstraw to curdle milk and colour their cheese and it has been used in Gloucestershire for the same purpose either aloneor with the juice of the stinging nettle Th