- Reference
- Sp.Pl. [Linnaeus] 108 (1753)
- Conservation Code
- Not threatened
- Naturalised Status
- Alien to Western Australia
- Name Status
- Current
Lax, weak, scrambling or erect annual, herb, 0.05-0.4 m high. Fl. white. Rocky sites.
Distribution
- IBRA Regions
- Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Yalgoo.
- IBRA Subregions
- Merredin, Northern Jarrah Forest, Perth, Southern Jarrah Forest, Tallering.
- IMCRA Regions
- Central West Coast.
- Local Government Areas (LGAs)
- Armadale, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Busselton, Dandaragan, Donnybrook-Balingup, Harvey, Koorda, Perenjori, Perth, Waroona.
Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)
General Biology. Growth form. Herb. Reproduction. reproduces by seed. Dispersal. Spread by water, wind and machinery, and in contaminated/dumped green waste. The hooked hairs on the fruit, seeds can easily attach to clothing and animals.
Notes. Herbaceous plant with a trailing, scrambling climbing habit. The four-angled stems are covered in small backward-pointing prickles. Narrow leaves (10-80 mm long and 2-10 mm wide) in groups of six to nine along the stems. Inconspicuous white flowers (about 1 mm long and 1-2 mm across) in small clusters in the leaf forks. Two-lobed fruit (2-6 mm across) are upright and are covered in hooked bristles..
Additional information. Origin. Native to Europe and western Asia. Similar exotic species. Cleavers (Galium aparine) is very similar to false cleavers (Galium spurium), three-horned bedstraw (Galium tricornutum), slender bedstraw (Galium divaricatum) and small bedstraw (Galium murale)..
Suggested method of management and control. Remove small infestations by hand. Mulching can prevent germination. Herbicide control: dicamba + MCPA, diquat, glyphosate and mecoprop. Mature plants are moderately resistant to some herbicide treatments. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.
Management Calendar
| Calendar Type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.
References
- Queensland Governmen (2016) Weeds of Australia. Biosecurity Queensland Edition, Identric Pty Ltd URL: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/galium_aparine.htm - Accessed May 2019.
- Tamar Valley Weed Strategy Working Group (2015) Cleavers. Tamar Natural Resource Management URL: http://www.weeds.asn.au/tasmanian-weeds/view-by-common-name/cleavers/ - Accessed May 2019.