CLEAVERS. 179 



above, glabrous beneath, hispid at the midrib, mucronate at 

 the extremity, and arranged in whorls of about eight together, 

 in a stellate form. The flowers are few, small, and white, on 

 two or three short, simple footstalks, arising from the axils of 

 the leaves. The calvx is an indistinct four-toothed margin. 

 The corolla is monopetalous, wheel-shaped, with four deep, 

 acute segments. The filaments are four in number, awl- 

 shaped, arising from the base of the corolla, shorter than the 

 limb, and terminated by two-celled anthers. The germen is 

 inferior, two-lobed, with two divaricating styles, and clavate 

 stigmas. The fruit is a dry, two-lobed, indehiscent pericarp, 

 (consisting as it were of two globose bodies united together,) 

 with two cells and two seeds. Plate 12, fig. 4, (o) the entire 

 flower magnified ; (b) the pistil ; (c) the fruit. 



This well known plant is found in almost every hedge, and 

 is distinguished by the harsh hooked bristles of its fruit, which 

 lay hold of the coats of animals, and thus mainly contribute 

 to the preservation of the species. It flowers from May to 

 August. 



The generic name is derived from ya/.a, 7nilk, one of the 

 species having been employed to curdle milk. By the older 

 botanists, this plant was called Aparine, from airatpx; to lay 

 hold of, because of the hooked bristles which attach themselves 

 to passing objects. In some parts of the country it goes by the 

 name of catch-weed and scratch-weed, and the fruit is called 

 burs. 



Qualities A^•D general Uses. — The stalks of this plant 

 are used in Sweden as a strainer for milk ; the bristles with 

 which it is covered, effectually preventing the passage of hairs 

 and other extraneous bodies. Dioscorides informs us, that the 

 shepherds made use of it for the saine purpose in his time. 

 The root, in common with many others of the natural order 

 Stellatae, will dye red, and like the madder tinge the bones of 

 animals that feed upon it. The seeds roasted, bear a consi- 

 derable resemblance to coffee, and have been used as a sub- 

 stitute for that grain. The plant, when dry, proves injurious 

 to cattle, on account of its rigid curved hairs; but in its grow- 

 ing state, it is eaten by all animals except swine. Young geese 

 are extremely fond of it ; hence, one of the popular names, 

 Goose-£rass. 



o 2 



