Small Bedstraw - a weed introduced (*Galium murale)

Other names: Small Goosegrass.

Family: Rubiaceae (Coprosma, bedstraw family).

Native of Europe.

Occurrence: Uncommon weed.

Identification:

• it is a slender prostrate plant with leaves in rings of three to six
• the flowers are small and white to yellowish-green
• the small fruit are in pairs, and the fruit are separate when ripe.

It is an annual.

Similar species: It resembles Cleavers, but is much smaller and much more slender. Like Cleavers, it is rough to touch. There are many similar natives species, some of which are common. Woodruffs have small tubular funnel-shaped flowers with a distinct basal tube. The native bedstraws have tiny spreading petals and the basal tube is very short. They have four or less leaves in each ring.