Galium a par in e. Cleavers 
OR 
Goose Grass. 
GALIUM Linn tel. Gen. PI. Tetrandria Monogynia. 
Cor. i -petala, plana. Sent. 2, fubrotunda. 
Rail Gen. 12. Herba: stellata. 
GALIUM Aparine follis oftonis lanceolatis, carinis fcabris retrorfum aculeatis, geniculis villofis, fru&ibus 
hilpidis. Linnai Syjl. Vegetab. p. 127. Sp. PI. 157. Flor. Suecic. p. 45. 
GALIUM caule ferrato, foliis fenis, linearibus, lanceolatis, ferratis, petiolis unifloris. Haller bift. helv. 
n. 723. 
GALIUM Aparine. Scopoli FI. Carniol. n. 157. 
APARINE vulgaris. Bauhin Pin. 334. 
APARINE Gerard emac. 1122. Parkinfon 567. Raii Syn. p. 225, Cleavers or Goofe-Grafs. Hudfon 
FI. Angl. p. 57. Oeder Flor. Dan. icon. 495. Lightfoot Flor. Scot. p. 11 7. 
RADIX annua, fibrofa. 
CAULIS tetragonus, angulis retrorfum aculeatis, de- 
bilis, fragilis, geniculatus, bafi articulorum 
villofus, ramofiflimus, ad quatuor et ultra pe- 
des altus, proxima quasque fcandens, adhae- 
refcenfque. 
RAMI oppofiti. 
FOLIA fena ad oCtona, lanceolato-linearia, mucronata, 
fuperne fcabra, inferne glabra margine et ca- 
rina retrorfum aculeatis. 
FLORES pauci, parvi, albidi, petiolis fcabris infiden- 
tes. 
CALYX nullus. 
COROLLA minima, monopetala, rotata, albida, qua- 
dripartita, laciniis ovato-acutis, fg. 1. 
STAMINA: Filamenta quatuor, brevia, alba: 
An thera luteas, fig. 2. 
PISTILLUM : Germen didymum, inferum, villo- 
fum : Styli duo Corolla breviores: Stig- 
mata globola, fg. 4, 5, 6. 
PERICARPIUM : Bacca duae, ficcae, globofas, coa- 
lit*, hifpidas, aculeis recurvis, fg. 7. 
SEMINA folitaria, reniformia, magna. 
ROOT annual, fibrous. 
STALK quadrangular, the angles furnifhed with aculei 
or prickles, which bend backward, weak, 
brittle, and jointed ; the bottom of the joints 
villous, very much branched, growing to four 
feet or more high, climbing and adhering to 
every plant near it. 
BRANCHES oppofite. 
LEAVES growing fix or eight together, of afhape be- 
twixt lanceolate and linear, terminating in a 
point, rough on the upper fide, on the under 
fide fmooth, the edge and midrib, or keel 
rough, with fharp prickles bending back- 
wards. 
FLOWERS few, fmall, andwhitilh, fitting on rough 
foot-ftalks. 
CALYX wanting. 
COROLLA very minute, monopetalous, wheel-fha- 
ped, of a whitifh colour, divided into four 
oval pointed fegments, fg. 1. 
STAMINA ; four fhort white Filaments : Anthe^- 
ra yellow, fg. 2. 
PISTILLUM: Germen double, below the Corolla, 
villous : Styles two, fhorter than the Corol- 
la : Stigmata globular, fg. 4, 5, 6. 
SEED-VESSEL: two dry globular Berries, flightly 
joined together, rough with prickles bending 
back at the point, fg. 7. 
SEEDS fingle, fomewhat kidney lhaped, and large. 
THIS plant has moft probably obtained its name of Cleavers, from its cleaving or adhering to whatever it comes 
In contact with, which it is in a peculiar manner enabled to do, by its hooked prickles ; and that of Goofe-Grafs 
from its being a favourite food of Geefe. 
It abounds in all cultivated ground, and by its quick growth, is apt to overpower many plants both in the 
garden and field. Young quickfet hedges, in a particular manner, fhould be carefully freed from it. It is an 
early blowing plant, and produces its feed from June to September. 
Dioscorides obferves, that the ihepherds made ufe of it as a ftrainer to filter their milk through. 
If the accounts given of it, by writers 011 the Materia Medica, are to be depended on, it is not without 
t-onfiderable medicinal powers. 
The expreffed juice of the feeds, ftalks, and leaves, are powerful againft the bites of vipers and fpiders ; and 
the fame dropt into the ears, cures the pain of them ; Raii bift. p. 484. 
The herb mixed with lard, diflolves fcrophulous fwellings; idem. 
The tops are an ingredient in fpring broth, for purifying the blood ; Rutty Mater. Med. 
The feeds have been made ufe of by fome inftead of coffee ; idem. 
A llrong decodtion of the herb, taken to the quantity of twelve ounces, morning and evening, has brought 
away gravel in many cafes ; idem. 
The root eaten by birds, has tinged their bones of a red colour, as in experiments made with madder ; idem. 
A decottion of the plant has proved highly ferviceable in a fimple gonorrhea; D. Palmer apud Dale. 
Of late this plant has been much celebrated in fcrophulous and cancerous fores : but experiments carefully made 
with it, in St. Thomas's Hofpital, have not turned out in its favour. 
It is eaten by horfes, kine, lheep, and goats, but refufed by fwine ; Linn. Armen. Acad. 
The Calyx in this fpecies, is certainly wanting. 
