GALIUM

Galium L., Sp. Pl. 1: 105. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5. 46. 1754; Benth. & Hook. f., Gen. Pl. 2: 149. 1873; Boiss., Fl. Or. 3: 46. 1875; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 3: 46. 1882; Ehrend. & Krendl in Tutin et al., Fl. Europ. 4: 14. 1976; Chen & Ehrendorfer, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 19: 104; Nazim & Qaiser, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 52.

Herbs or prickly erect or scandent weak shrubs; stem terete or angular, sometimes retrosely aculeolate (with small prickles). Leaves 4 or more in whorls, rarely opposite; stipules interpetiolar, usually leaflike, sometimes reduced. Inflorescence of axillary or terminal cymes; ultimate branches of inflorescence often without bracts; bracteoles absent. Flowers usually bisexual, actinomorphic, (3-)4-merous, epigynous, minute, pedicels always longer than the ovary and fruit. Calyx tube ovoid or globose; limb lacking. Corolla white to red, purple; rotate; lobes 4, rarely 3 or 5. Stamens 4, rarely 3 or 5, inserted on corolla tube near base, exserted; filaments short; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary inferior, 2-locular, didymous, ovoid, ellipsoid or globose, smooth, papillose or with hooked trichomes, one erect ovule per loculus, placentation axile; styles 2, short, exserted; stigmas capitate. Fruit small, ovoid, mostly dry, pubescent or hispid with hooked hairs, rarely glabrous.

643 species

Galium aparine

Galium aparine L., Sp. Pl. 1: 108. 1753; Benth. & Hook. f., Gen. Pl. 2: 149. 1873; Boiss., Fl. Or. 3: 46. 1875; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 3: 205. 1882; Collett, Fl. Siml. 235. 1921; Sharma & Kachroo, Fl. Jammu (Illustr.) 2: t. 116. 1983; Dhaliwal & Sharma, Fl. Kullu Dist. 331. 1991; Kaur & Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur. 333. 2004; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 366. 2006; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 19: 113; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 78.

Annual herbs, procumbent or climbing. Stems 30-90 cm high, 4-angled, branched from base, retrosely aculeate along angles. Leaves in whorls, mostly 6, subsessile; lamina narrowly obovate, oblong-oblanceolate to elliptic, usually narrower below middle, 1-3.5 cm x 4-6 mm, usually hispidulous adaxially; retrosely aculeolate along midrib abaxially; base acute, margin retrosely aculeolate, apex shortly mucronate, vein single. Inflorescence terminal and axillary cymes, 2-3-flowered, axes glabrous or aculeolate; bracts +/- leaflike or none, 1-5 mm; peduncles 1.5-2 cm long; pedicels 5-8 mm long, finally elongating under fruit. Flowers 2-3 mm across, bisexual, actinomorphic, 4-merous, epigynous. Calyx tube ovoid or globose; limb lacking. Corolla white to greenish, rotate; lobes 4, triangular to ovate, acute, ca. 1 mm long. Stamens 4, inserted on corolla tube near base, exserted; filaments short; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary inferior, 2-locular, didymous, ovoid or globose; with hooked trichomes, one erect ovule per loculus, placentation axile; styles 2, short, exserted; stigmas capitate. Fruits ovoid, dry; mericarps subglobose to globose, 2.5-5 mm, with a dense cover of uncinate trichomes, 0.5-1 mm from swollen base.

Flowering and Fruiting: March to May
Common Names: Goose Grass, Cleavers, Common Bedstraw, Coach weed, Catchweed, Clivers, Sticky willy, Sticky weed, Sticky leaf, Robin-run-the-hedge; Kuri (Hindi)