Goosegrass (Galium aparine)
© Harry Rose
Introduced, cool-season, annual herb. Stems are more or less stout and to 1.5 m long, with retrorse prickles mainly along the angles and long thin hairs at the nodes. Leaves and stipules are in whorls of 6–9, sessile, simple, oblanceolate and 1–6 cm long; margins have recurved hairs, upper surface and midvein on lower surface have small hooked hairs. Flowerheads are mostly 2–7-flowered. Flowers are to 1 mm long and whitish. Fruit are 3–5 mm long and densely covered with hooked hairs. Flowering is from August to January. A native of Europe, it is a widespread weed.
Photo taken on 19 Sep 2014
Usage licence:
Attribution License