Cleavers Goosegrass
Galium spurium

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

An annual herb. It is weak and the stem are angular. The leaves are in rings of 4-6. They are sword shaped. They are 1-3 cm long by about 1 cm wide. The flowers are in groups of 1-7 in the axils of leaves or at the ends of the stem.

There are about 300 Galium species. There are 60 species in tropical America.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, Australia, Britain, Central America, Central Asia, China, Europe, France, Iraq, Korea, Kurdistan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, North America, Pakistan, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Aparine spuria (L.) Fourr.; Aparine tenera (Gren. & Godr.) Fourr.; Galium vaillantii DC.;