At a site where the local council have sprayed to get get rid of encroaching Cotoneaster sp (LHS photo), the bare land produced has been colonised by many small Rubia peregrina plants many of which were in flower even at this late stage. The shape of the leaves and stem immediately suggest that it is a member of the Galium family but the leaves are very shiny and leathery.

It has a strange distribution being very common on the south western and western coasts of England and Ireland but absent from the east, inland and Scotland.

LHS: Llandulas North Wales, 16th July 2008 RHS: The Great Orme, 6th July 2006

Added on 1st January 2007, updated 20th January 2012