Galium aparine   cleavers, bedstraw, stickywilly, goose-grass
           
  
Rubicaceae
uncertain                      herbaceous           
Distribution: Foothills, Greenbelt, Mid Elevation, West Valley, Conifer Zone, Lucky Peak, South Boise

UW Burke Herbarium Link: Galium aparine
USDA Plants Link: Galium aparine   (GAAP2)


Galium aparine, by whatever name, is a common annual that may or may not be native locally but which definitely acts like a weed.  Stems, leaves, and fruit are covered with velcro-like hairs that stick to just about anything and are easily spread around.  On top of this general nuisance factor, some people can have an allergic reaction that causes dermatitis (e.g., “Bedstraw is a weed that bites back.”)