The first North American records of this European annual were from Ky. ca. 1940 (Bartholomew 1941). Since then it has spread steadily into grassy places across most of the state, especially the Bluegrass region. It is also widely scattered in other east-central states (K). Distinction of Cruciata from Galium remains uncertain (GC, Y, W). It may differ as follows: flowers bright yellow (versus white or greenish-white or somewhat reddish outside); flowers mostly in small pendant clusters of 2-3 in leaf axils (versus solitary or in clusters above the leaves) ,plants little or not branched (versus usually branched); annual (versus annual or perennial). n = 9 versus n = usually 11.