The stiff marsh bedstraw (Galium tinctorium Linnaeus) is a weak-stemmed perennial native to wetlands of eastern North America. Members of the Rubiaceae or madder family, there are around 400 species of bedstraws worldwide. The genus Galium is derived from the Greek, gala, milk. At least one species, lady's bedstraw, was used in England and parts of Northern Europe for clabbering milk for curds and whey (cottage cheese) or making cheese.

The common English name dates back to the Middle Ages, beddestrawe, and probably earlier, since the plants were added to the straw (dried oat or wheat stems) used to stuff mattresses. Some species of bedstraws are fragrant when crushed. With the discovery of iridoid glycosides and triterpene saponins in several species, bedstraws may have served to deter pests that could interrupt one's sleep. ("Iridoid Patterns in Galium L. and Some Phylogenetic Considerations", Maya Iv. Mitova, Mincho E. Anchev, Nedjalka V. Handjieva, and Simeon S. Popov, Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung, 2001)

Bedstraws generally have square stems with fine retrorse (downward) prickles that give the plants a rough texture. These hooked prickles (projections from the dermal tissue) allow bedstraws to ramble over adjacent plants. But they also adhere to clothing and fur, a trait that gave them an alternate name—clivers or cleavers. (The Century Unabridged Dictionary, 1889)

The roots of several species of bedstraws yield dyes in the red to purple range. According to Mrs. M. Grieve, Native Americans used the roots of the stiff marsh bedstraw to give an orange/red stain to their feathers and other ornaments. (A Modern Herbal, 1931, reprinted Barnes and Noble, 1996)