Goose Grass (Galium aparine) Login         


        Description
  • Height to 3 ft.
  • CA Bloom Apr - May
  • 6 to 8 narrow leaves make whorls around the stem.
  • Flowers are tiny, white and 4-petaled.
  • This plant is covered with hooked hairs.
  • CA native
  • AKA Common Bedstraw, Cleavers, Stickywilly
  • Coffee Family (Rubiaceae)



Bedstraw has whorled leave and tiny white flowers. It is covered with hairs that stick to passers by.



Leaves are typically in groups of 6, wider at the end than at the stem.


Tiny, four-petal flowers form clusters above the whorls.

   Photo Gallery (42 ) click any picture to enlarge
    

Leaves form in whorls of 6 to 8 thin leaves, each about 1 inch long. Two or three flowers connect to each leaf [[node]], each on its own rather lon ...
Stems and flower stalks are square in cross section.
Stems are weak and grow along the ground or over other plants. In some places they create tangled mats.
Flowers are small, 1/10 inch across. They have four pointed whitish petals. The fuzzy balls below the flower are developing pollinated [[ovaries ...
Ovaries are below the other flower parts, and start to grow after fertilization. The ovary has two chambers, so one flower can produce a pair of fr ...
Fruits are covered with small hooked hairs that will cling to passing animals. Fruit stalks are brittle and break easily.