191 1.] Identification and Eradication of Weeds. 753 



two-lobed, each lobe containing a seed, and the under side of 

 each bears a shallow roundish depression or hollow ; they are 

 ^2 to J in. (2 to over 3 mm.) in diameter, and T V to T \ in. (2 

 to 2*5 mm.) thick. Burchard describes the fruit as grey in 

 colour, warty, with short curved whitish spines on the warts ; 

 the outer coat may be lost during threshing operations, and 

 the seed is then seen to be smooth and grey-brown. The 

 fruits are much too common in clover and many grass seeds 

 as well as seed corn throughout Europe. Ewart remarks 

 that "although the seeds do not appear to have a very pro- 

 longed vitality, they are able to resist the action of fermenting 

 manure for some months without losing the power of germina- 

 tion," while passage through the stomach of an animal 

 usually favours germination. 



Seedlings. — Cleavers is a very hardy annual, and the seeds 

 germinate quite late in the year. At the moment of writing 

 (the last week of November) seedlings may be found in 

 thousands in all stages along the hedgerows. In the first 

 stage (Fig. 3, b) the seedling is observed to be strong and 

 sturdy, with fibrous roots, and stout smooth hypocotyl, which 

 is whitish below to brownish-green tinged with red above. 

 The cotyledons (Fig. 3, b') are nearly oblong, markedly in- 

 curved at the apex, with a short broad petiole about one- 

 third the length of the lamina and scarcely distinct from it ; 

 they are smooth, and about f to J in. (10 to 12 mm.) long 

 by J to J in. (6 to 8 mm.) broad without the petiole. 



The cotyledons enlarge as the seedling grows, and in the 

 second stage (Fig. 3, c) may be § in. (16 mm.) long by § in. 

 (9 mm.) broad. There are signs of branching from the base; 

 the stem is four-angled and bears stout hooked hairs turned 

 downwards, enabling the weed to climb. The leaves and 

 leaf-like stipules are rather variable, but are four to six in a 

 whorl, and broadly lanceolate to lanceolate or nearly round- 

 oval, narrowing towards the base, while they are densely 

 hairy and rough, and bear a short spine at the apex. 



The still older seedling (Fig. 3, d) is much like the stage 

 already described, but the cotyledons may now be up to | in. 

 (21 mm.) long by f in. (15 mm.) broad, the petiole being 

 J in. (8 mm.) long. This stage is strikingly like the mature 



3 F 



