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galium aparine - bedstraw/cleavers

Bedstraw (Galium aparine) is an annual that grows from 1 to 3 feet high. It has a 4-angled stem that is covered with harsh, downward curved bristles on the angles that are noticeable but not painful to the touch. The leaves are narrowly oblanceolate and from 1 to 3 inches long and mostly in whorls of 8.

The flowers are small, white, and 4 lobed that are usually in 3-flowered cymes on long stalks from the leaf axils.  Flowers are present from April to May.

The fruits are dry, round, carpels with bristles. 

Bedstraw can be found in moist ground in woodlands and disturbed areas, typically in the shade. It is found throughout most of temperate North America and is considered common. 

The common name Cleavers comes about because the bristles "cleave" or stick to birds, animals, or people, which aides in seed dispersal. The name Bedstraw is believed to have come about because early Americans may have used it as a mattress filler as the stems continue to be flexible even when dry. 

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  • Home
  • Animals
    • Birds >
      • Avian Taxonomy
      • Bird Species Profiles
    • Mammal Species Profiles
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians >
      • Frog and Toad Species Profiles
    • Fish
    • Arthropods >
      • Arthropod Species Profiles
  • Plants
    • Native Plant Societies
    • Eastern Plant Identification Guide
  • Fungi
    • Fungi Species Profiles
  • Protists
  • Nature Products Store
  • Cell Phone Ringtones
  • Madbird Feeder Cam
  • Ramblings of the Madbird Biologist
  • Bird Videos
  • News in Science
  • Nature Inspired Recipes
  • An Introduction to Scientific Classification and Naming
  • Birds in the Classroom
  • Resources
  • About Me