Galium aparine L. subsp. spurium (L.) Simonkai

Spice Fruit Image 2 In the field

Family: RUBIACEAE

Genus: Galium

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones.

Characteristics: An herbaceous plant with whorled leaves and underwinged stem. This one of the larger and apparent of the ruderal Galiums. The stems and leaves are are covered by rigid needles. The inflorescences are multifloral cymous terminations of small white coloured flowers. The fruit is pilous. Can de told apart from subspecies aparine by its narrower leaves(1-4 mm.) greenish corolla and shorter fruits (2-3 mm.).