Catchweed Bedstraw

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, Weeds of the Great Plains; p. 302, 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)