Galium aparine L., Rubiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: yuan la la teng

English: bedstraw, catchweed bedstraw, cleavers, cleaverwort, goose grass, scarthgrass, small goose-grass, stickywilly, white hedge

French: gaillet gratteron

Spanish: lengua de gato

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Prostrate or scrambling annual; stems to 2 m long when through other vegetation, rather stout, branched, densely clothed in retrorse, hooked, scabrid hairs on the sharply acute angles. Leaves and stipules in whorls of 5-8, sessile, 10-60 x 2-8 mm (sometimes smaller on exposed prostrate shoots), linear-oblanceolate or narrow-elliptic, often spathulate or obovate on exposed lateral shoots; margins flat or nearly so, densely clothed in retrorse, hooked, scabrid hairs; midrib below and surface generally above ± scabrid; apex shortly awned. Flowers (1)-2-(6), in axillary divaricating cymes; peduncles usually > pedicels; whorl of bracts at base of pedicels leaflike and scabrid. Corolla 1-2 mm diam., white or whitish; lobes ovate, ± mucronate. Mericarps 2.5-4 mm in diameter (excluding bristles), globose or subglobose (often 1 of the pair smaller or abortive), densely furnished with hooked bristles"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 1144).

Habitat/ecology:  "Coastal dunes, grass- and woodland, forests, riparian habitats, rock outcrops.  A native of arable land, hedgerows, scrub and woods.  The plant establishes well after disturbance and forms dense patches that crowd out native species and prevent their regeneration"  (Weber, 2003; p. 177).

In New Zealand, "commonest amongst shrubs and tall herbs around cultivated areas, in waste places, forest margins, clearings and scrub, sometimes on newly exposed surfaces, rough pastures and cliff faces"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 1144).  "In Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:  Low altitude, interior valleys; coastal mountains, 500-2000 m; coastal areas, 0-500 m.  Watering conditions: Dry, arid areas, with long drought periods of 6-10 months; precipitations of 100 mm-300 mm. are concentrated in winter; somewhat dry areas where the drought may last 3-5 months, precipitations of 400-800 mm. are concentrated in winter.  Light conditions: Fully exposed to the sun, level areas or slopes facing north; some shadow, some protection against direct sunlight, some shadow from vegetation, filtering about 20-40% of light"  (Chileflora).

Propagation:  "Seeds are dispersed by wind, water and animals.  They are rather short-lived and remain viable in the soil for less than 2 years"  (Weber, 2003; p. 177).

Native range:  Temperate Eurasia (Webb et al., 1988; p. 1144), now a worldwide weed (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 554)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 223)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 554)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim (2011) (pp. 31-32) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 090519-02 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 34) Incorrectly identified as Sherardia arvensis L. per Frohlich & Lau (2012). Observed plants were removed. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, Perlman & Tangolin H30706 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2012) (pp. 45-46) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, Perlman & Tangalin H30706 (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "Widespread; cosmopolitan weed".
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "Widespread; cosmopolitan weed".
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "Widespread; cosmopolitan weed".
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	uncertain if native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	possibly introduced	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Forest margins, riversides, meadows, open fields, farmlands; near sea level to 2500 m. Evidently rare in China and possibly only introduced.
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Li-ying, Li/Ren, Wang/Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 173)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 263) var. echinospermum (Wallr.) Cuf. On grassland.
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 1144)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 223)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Belov, Michail (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Washington)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013) "Envahissant principalement dans les milieux perturbés".

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canada Canada	Canada	uncertain if native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  "Control should aim at preventing seed formation".

Physical:  "In arable fields, growth is suppressed by covering the soil with a mulch at germination time".

Chemical:  "Plants can be killed with herbicides based on chlorsulfuron or fluoroxypry"  (Weber, 2003; p. 177).