Many-Flowered Bedstraw: The 46th Flower of Spring!

[best appreciated at full size against black]

Here's another itty bitty flower that's so small it's just SILLY! :D It's nearly the same size as Friday's flower, perhaps 1/8" in diameter. Another flower I nearly didn't see, it was the greenery surrounding the blossom that got my attention before I found the tiny little blossom in the center with its fancy furry collar.

If you can believe it, this tiny flower is in the same family as coffee!! It makes seeds that are called "nutlets" which are round and covered with hooked bristles. Often called "Bedstraw" for short, this flower is also known as "Shrubby Bedstraw" or "Kellogg's Bedstraw." It's found in parts of California, Oregon and Nevada, and is a favorite food of butterfly larvae!

If you would like to know more about Many-Flowered Bedstraw, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Many-Flowered Bedstraw (Galium multiflorum)

This image was taken in April, 2012.