Galium aparine
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Galium aparine is a herbaceous annual plant of the family Rubiaceae. It is native to North America and Eurasia. It has several common names, including Cleavers, Goosegrass, Stickywilly, Catchweed, and Coachweed.
The long stems of this climbing plant sprawl over the ground and other plants, reaching heights of 1-1.5 m, occasionally 2 m. The leaves are simple and borne in whorls of six to eight. Both leaves and stem have fine hairs tipped with tiny hooks. This makes them cling to clothes and fur much like velcro. The white to greenish flowers are small at 2-3 mm across, having four petals each.
It flowers in early spring to summer, with the flowers occurring in most of the leaf nodes. The fruits are clustered 1-3 seeds together; each seed is 4-6 mm diameter, and is also covered with hooked hairs which cling to animal fur, aiding in seed dispersal.
It is abundant in hedges and other low shrubby vegetation, and is also a common weed in arable fields, as well as gardens. The seeds are one of the commonest contaminants in cereals, as being of similar size to cereal grains, they are difficult to clean out. However their presence in cereals is not a serious problem as they are not toxic.
When dried and roasted, the fruits of this plant can be used to make a coffee-like drink.
References
- [Image Archive of Central Texas Plants]
- [Missouriplants.com] - a site with additional information and excellent pictures.
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