Galium aparine
 
Cleavers

Cyme Top

Regina
24-July-2010

The fruit is a schizocarp which breaks up at maturity into two one-seeded mericarps.  Each mericarp is a nutlet covered with uncinate (hooked) bristles. 

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Aparine: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.  Note that Flora of Alberta separates G. aparine from G. spurium.  However, I am including both of them in G. aparine. Therefore I am excluding (from the list below) answers that separate these two taxa.
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plants annual; NOT [plants perennial]

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internodes glabrous, the angles mostly retrorsely scabrous, at least below; NOT [internodes puberulent, the angles not retrorsely scabrous]

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leaves mostly in whorls of 8; NOT [leaves mostly in whorls of 6], NOT [leaves in whorls of 4]

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leaves linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate; NOT [leaves elliptic], NOT [leaves linear]

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leaves more than 4 times longer than wide; NOT [leaves generally 3-4 times longer than wide]

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leaves usually 2-3 mm wide; NOT [leaves usually more than 3 mm wide]

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leaves NOT strongly revolute

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ovary and fruit bristly or hairy; NOT [ovary and fruit glabrous]

 

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Galium: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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stems square

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leaves whorled; NOT [leaves opposite]

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inflorescence of open cymes; NOT [inflorescence a head, subtended by bracts]

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corolla rotate; NOT [corolla slender-funnelform]

 

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Rubiaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, with chlorophyll]

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plants without milky juice; NOT [plants often with milky juice]

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not climbing plants; NOT [climbing plants with tendrils]

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leaves opposite; NOT [leaves basal or alternate]

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leaves with stipules, appearing whorled; NOT [leaves without stipules]

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flowers NOT in heads or spikes; NOT [flowers in long or short spikes], NOT [flowers in heads or in form resembling a head]

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flowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell]

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stamens 4 or 5; NOT [stamens 3]

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ovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]