Unité de Malherbologie & Agronomie Weed Science & Agronomy INRA-Dijon

Bayer Code : galap

Scientific name: Galium aparine L.

Synonym(s) of Sc. name:

Classification: Rubiaceae, Dicotyledonous

Common name: cleavers

Synonym(s) of Common name:

Name per country: DE : Klettenlabkraut ; ES : amor del hortelano ; FR : gaillet gratteron ; IT : caglio asprello ; PT : amor-de-beijao ; EN : cleavers ; NL : kleefkruid kliskruid ; DK : burre-snerre

Biological type: Annual

Seed:

.

Seedling:

- Cotyledons elliptic to ovate, rounded tip, more or less stalked.

- Leaves entire, linear, acute at the apex.

Adult plant:

- Height: 30-120 cm.

- Stem 4-angled, square, branched, the angles with hooked spines, prostrate or climbing by hanging on other plants. Early development of cotyledon buds.

- Leaves 4-5 leaves in the first whorl, then 6-8 in later whorls. Leaves lanceolate, sessile, middle size, mucronate, 6-15 times longer than broad and the margin with prickles backwardly directed.

- Flowers whitish, small, 1-7 in axillary and terminal cyme exceeding the leaf.

- Fruit brown and globose, 2-3 mm in diameter, in pair, with hooked bristles.

- Plant used as diuretic, antiscorbutic and for ulcers. Belonging to the same family as the coffee tree, the roasted fruits were used in the past as a substitute for coffee.

- Biological type: Annual.

Ecological profile (click on flags):   Present       Present       Present       Present       Present       Present       Present     Present    

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http://www.dijon.inra.fr/bga/hyppa/hyppa-a/galap_ah.htm ,