Catchweed Bedstraw, Bedstraw

Galium aparine L.

Rubiaceae (Madder Family)

young plant, showing whorled leaves▲▼

young plant▲

mature plant▲

flowers in axils of leaves▲

Bedstraw: (pp. 516-517 in Weeds of the Great Plains, p. 302 in Weeds of the Northeast)

·                     summer annual with whorled linear leaves and scrambling, sticky stems in the Madder Family (Rubiaceae)

·                     usually growing, maturing more early in the summer than in late summer

·                     has tiny white flowers followed by bur-like fruit which can stick to socks & livestock to spread the weed

·                     can tangle feet of people/animals walking through the plants

·                     more common in moist and shady to partly shaded sites, lawns woodlands, roadsides and non-crop areas

·                     some other Madder family bedstraw-like weeds, Piedmont bedstraw and blue field madder are very low growing weeds most likely to be found as turf weeds (ID List #10)