Protologue Description: GALIUM brevipes, n. sp., humile valde implicatum cailibus 0.5-3 dm. longis ramosissimis glabrescentibus vel paulo retrorososcabris, internodiis longioribus 1-3 cm. longis; foliis plerumque 4is subinequalibus oblanceolatis vel oblobgo-lanceolatis obtusis cuneatis 2-10 mm. longis 10nerviis glabris vel margine et subtus in nervo scabris; floribus axillaribus solitariis vel binis; pedicellis arcuatis glabris demum 0.5-4 mm. longis; corollis minutis albidis, lobis 3 obtusis; fructo glabro, carpellis maturis 0.8-1 mm. diametro, endospermo in sectione transversali annulare.
Plants low and densely matted; the stems 0.5-3 dm. long, freely branched, smoothish or somewhat retorse-scabrous, the longer internodes 1-3 cm. long: leaves mostly in 4s, somewhat unuqual, oblanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, cuneate at base, 2-10 mm. long, 1-nerved, smooth or somewhat retorse -scabrous on the margin and midrib beneath: flowers axillary, solitary or paired: pedicels curved, glabrous, finally 0.5-4 mm. long: corolla minute 3-lobed, the lobes obtuse, whitish: fruit glabrous, the mature carpels 0.8-1 mm. in diameter; cross-section of the endosperm annular.-Quebec: exsiccated marl-pond near mouth of the Grand River, Gaspé County, August 11-15, 1904, Collins, Fernald & Pease, (type specimen in Gray Herb.). MAINE: Arbor Vitae swamp, Mars Hill, Spetember 8, 1896, Fernald: muddy flat of the Meduxnekeag River, New Limerick, August 13, 1909, Fernald & Wiegand - Fernald, no. 2169.