Goosegrass

Botanical Name: Galium aparine

Family: Rubiaceae (Bedstraw)

Other Name: Burwood, cleavers, clivers, clives, goosebill

Habitat: Hedges, woods, fields

Description: Straggling bristly annual 50-180cm/20-70in high with square stems. Leaves lanceolate narrow, pointed 1-2cm long in whorls of 6-8 covered with tiny turned down prickles. Flowers inconspicuous green/white May – June. Its small fruit sticks to clothing, globular, 3mm diameter

Parts used: Aerial parts

Harvesting: All year

Actions: Alterative, anti-inflammatory, aperient, astringent, diuretic, tonic, vulnerary

Constituents: Glycosides asperuloside, gallotannic acid, citric acid

Iridoids –asperuloside, asperulosidic acid, 10-deacetylasperulosidic acid, monotropein. Polyphenolic acids – p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, gallic, caffeic acid. Alkaloids –protopine, 1-hydroxydesoxypeganine, harmine. Flavonoids –luteolin. Fatty acids and sterols –linolenic, lineleic and lauric acids, stigmasterol, lanosterol, campesterol.

Root: Anthraquinone derivatives –alizarin, xanthopurpurin, galiosin and derivatives

Combines with: Echinacea, marigold, yellow dock, burdock

Culinary Uses: Cooked

 Skin: Wounds

Circulatory muscle joint: High blood pressure

Genito-urinary: Water retention, cystitis

Immune: Fevers

Other Notes: Cleaves relates to the fact that the stems cling to clothes