Waldmeister

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Europe, US, Spain

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Apertif, Diuretic, Tea, Hypnotic

Science studied: ANTHRACENE-DERIVATIVES, CITRIC-ACID, COUMARIN, MALIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Rubiaceae

Scientific name: Galium odoratum

Common names: Waldmeister, Woodruff, Anganmaðra, Arlwys Beraidd y Coed, Asiperile ihumura, Asperilla, Asperula, Asperulo, Aspérula-odorífera, Aspérule odorante, Blodyn Hen Ffasiwn, Briwydd Bêr, Briwydd Perarogl, Briwydden Bêr, Caglio odoroso, Dišeča lakota, Echter Waldmeister

POWO: 750339-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Europe, US, Spain.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Apertif
• Diuretic
• Tea
• Hypnotic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Europe
• US
• Spain

Documented cultural uses

• Apertif
• Diuretic
• Tea
• Hypnotic

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Apertif · Europe · "
• Diuretic · Europe · "
• Tea · US · "
• Hypnotic · Spain · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Correction to: Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading. · 2026 source ↗
• Sweet Woodruff (<i>Galium odoratum</i> L.)-More than Just Coumarin: From Fundamental to Biomass Valorization. · 2026 source ↗
• Comprehensive analysis of natural products of Galium odoratum (Rubiaceae), focusing on the formation of coumarin during the drying process. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ANTHRACENE-DERIVATIVES
• CITRIC-ACID
• COUMARIN
• MALIC-ACID
• NAPHTHALENE-DERIVATIVES
• NICOTINIC-ACID
• RUBRICHLORIC-ACID
• TANNIN
• ASPERULOSIDE
• MONOTROPEIN
• TANNIC-ACID
• ANTHRAQUINONES
• EMULSIN
• NICOTINIC-ACID-AMIDE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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