Galium aparine

Scrambling or climbing annual; stems coarse, to 1.5 m long, with small retrorse prickles along ridges and long simple hairs at nodes. Leaves and stipules sessile, c. equal, in whorls of 6–9, oblanceo-late, 10–70 mm long, 2–10 mm wide, obtuse and mucronate to apiculate, upper surface and midrib on lower surface with scattered tiny hooked hairs, margins with tiny retrorse prickles. Inflorescences mostly 2–7-flowered, c. equal to or more often exceeding whorls; peduncles to 2.5 cm long; pedicels to 1.5 cm long. Corolla 1.5–2 mm diam., white. Fruit depressed-globose, 2–4 mm long; mericarps broad-reniform to hemispherical, loosely attached to each other, usually densely covered with hooked hairs. Flowers Sep.–Jan.