Galium spurium

Procumbent or climbing annual; stems slender, mostly 10–100 cm long, with a scattered line of tubercle-based, retrorsely curved hairs, 0.1–0.4 mm long. Leaves and stipules subsessile, c. equal, mostly in whorls of 4–6, with some whorls of 5 or 6 or occasionally 7 or 8, oblanceolate or spathulate, (4–)8–30(–60) mm long, 1–5(–8) mm wide, acuminate or acute with terminal hair occasionally developed, upper surface glabrous or with sparse to scattered hairs along midrib, lower surface glabrous except for hairs along midrib; margins flat or recurved. Inflorescences 1–3(–5)-flowered, mostly not exceeding whorls; peduncles 4–15 mm long; pedicels 0.5–5 mm long. Corolla c. 1.2 mm diam., cream or greenish. Fruit depressed-globose, (1.2–)1.5–2.3 mm long; mericarps reniform to subglobose, touching one another but separating at maturity, blackish-brown or reddish-brown, with tuberculate-based, apically-hooked hairs. Flowers mostly spring.