no RUBIACE^ 



lanceolate, the prickles on their margins pointing forward; flower-stalks 

 3-flowered ; fruit large, rough, with raised tubei'cles. The stems are trail- 

 ing, and the flowers, which expand from June to August, are small and of a 

 pale yellow colour. It cannot be considered a native, for its addition to the 

 list of British plants rests on the unsupported testimony of G. Don. 



12. Smooth-fruited Corn Bedstraw {G. fpftrium). — Leaves from 6 

 to 8 in a whorl, narrowly lanceolate, with prickles on the margin, and 

 mid-rib pointing backwards ; flower-stalks axillary, with from 3 to 9 

 flowers ; fruit smooth or I'ough, on straight, forked stalks. This rare species 

 is found only in cultivated fields, and has probably been introduced with 

 flax-seed. It has, in its rough-fruited variety, been found in Essex and 

 Cambridgeshire, and closely resembles the goose-grass (G. aparine), but is 

 distinguished by its more numerous green flowers, its floral leaves being 

 solitary or in pairs, and its much smaller fruit. 



13. Rough-fruited Corn Bedstraw {G. tric&rne). — Leaves from 6 

 to 8 in a whorl, narrow, lanceolate, with marginal prickles turning back- 

 wards ; stem with prickles turning backwards ; flower-stalks axillary, 

 3-flowered ; flowers small ; fruit large and covered Avith small granulations. 

 This species flowers from June to August, on dry chalky fields, from Cumber- 

 land southward. 



14. Goose-grass or Cleavers {G. aparine). — Leaves from 6 to 8 



in a whorl, narrowly lanceolate, their margins as well as the angles of the 

 stem rough, with prickles pointing backwards ; flowei'-stalks axillary, about 

 3-flowered ; fruit covered with short hooked bristles. Those who know any- 

 thing about wild flowers will hardly need a description of this common 

 plant; for there is scarcely a hedge-bank on which its stems and starry 

 leaves may not be seen straggling among the grass, or climbing by the help 

 of the bushes, and it often intrudes itself into the garden. Leaves, stems, 

 and globular fruits are all bristly, and the latter often cling to the clothing 

 of the country rambler, and so get distributed far and wide, as they do more 

 naturally by sticking to the fur or feathers of the birds and mammals that 

 haunt the hedgerow. Several of our popular names indicate this habit of 

 the plant ; thus it is called Cleavers, Scratchweed, and Catchweed. The 

 Greeks termed it Fhilanthrdpon, fancifully attributing its clinging habit to a 

 love of mankind, though, of course, the cause is purely mechanical. Dioscorides 

 tells us that it was used in his time as a kind of filter for straining milk, and 

 Linnseus says it is commonly so used in Sweden. In our own country places 

 it is occasionally thus employed, when a sieve is not at hand, and answers 

 the purpose exceedingly well, by the roughness of its leaves and stalks. In 

 former days, when country dwellings were less plentifully supplied with 

 household conveniences, this and other rustic contrivances were probably in 

 much more frequent use than in modern times, and the direction of the poet 

 was then more applicable than now : 



" For first an osier colender provide 

 Of twigs thick wrought : such toiling peasants twine, 

 When through streight passages they strein their wine." 



This plant is said to have its name of Goose-grass from the fondness of 

 that bird for its herbage. Its expressed juice has long been justly praised 



