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The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

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Galium aparine L.
Goosegrass

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.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 3 October 1997

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren, Yalgoo.
IBRA Subregions
Merredin, Northern Jarrah Forest, Perth, Southern Jarrah Forest, Tallering, Warren.
IMCRA Regions
Central West Coast.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Armadale, Augusta Margaret River, 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