Practical
Plants

Galium spurium

False Cleavers

an annual member of the Galium genus in the family Rubiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rubiaceae
Genus
Galium
Life cycle
annual
Fertility
Self fertile, Flies, Beetles, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Flies, Beetles, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[6]. A famine food, used as a last resort[3].

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries[5]. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry[5].

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A red dye is obtained from the root[1].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Habitat
Plants are doubtfully native in Britain but are well established in arable fields in Essex and in a few other scattered localities[2].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer. The seed can also be sown in situ in the spring though it may be very slow to germinate.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[4]. Tolerates dry soils but the leaves quickly become scorched when growing in full sun[4]. This species does not thrive in a hot climate[4].

References

  1. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

  6. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩

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