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Plants & Fungi
Galium aparine
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Cleavers is the most common Galium sp. (Bedstraw) in Illinois. Other common names for Galium aparine include Goosegrass and Annual Bedstraw. It is a rather weedy plant with insignificant flowers. Cleavers has up to 8 leaves per whorl, while other Bedstraws usually have only 4 or 6 leaves per whorl. The carpels, leaves, and stems of Cleavers have an abundance of stiff hairs that can cling readily to clothing, fur, or adjacent vegetation; this distinguishes it from about one-half of the other Bedstraws, which have smooth to slightly rough carpels and foliage. Another species with white flowers, Galium mollugo (Hedge Bedstraw), has whorls of 6-8 leaves like Cleavers. However, Hedge Bedstraw has smooth carpels and foliage and it produces a large terminal inflorescence with an abundance of flowers. In the past, various Bedstraws were used to curdle milk in the production of cheese because the foliage is somewhat acidic.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/cleavers.htm |
Stickywilly is widely distributed in North America. It occurs in every U.S. state except Hawaii [153]. Stickywilly is present in parts of northern Mexico and in most Canadian provinces [90,165]. The nativity of stickywilly is debated. While most accept this species as native, some consider it nonnative [163,171]. Still others suggest that stickywilly is a native, but that subsequent introductions have occurred as well [90]. In a literature review, it is suggested stickywilly arrived in the fur of animals crossing the Bering Strait into North America [28]. While debate regarding the nativity of stickywilly continues, it is in all likelihood native and is considered native in most literature [25,44,58,143]. For more discussion on the nativity of stickywilly see [62,90].
A distributional map of stickywilly is accessible through Plants database.
Galium aparine L.:
Argentina (South America)
Bolivia (South America)
Canada (North America)
Chile (South America)
China (Asia)
Colombia (South America)
Ecuador (South America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
Peru (South America)
United States (North America)
Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.
- Jørgensen, P. M. & C. Ulloa Ulloa. 1994. Seed plants of the high Andes of Ecuador---A checklist. AAU Rep. 34: 1–443.
- Anonymous. 1986. List-Based Rec., Soil Conserv. Serv., U.S.D.A. Database of the U.S.D.A., Beltsville.
- Foster, R. C. 1958. A catalogue of the ferns and flowering plants of Bolivia. Contr. Gray Herb. 184: 1–223.
- Marticorena, C. & M. Quezada. 1985. Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Chile. Gayana, Bot. 42: 1–157.
- Gleason, H. A. 1968. The Sympetalous Dicotyledoneae. vol. 3. 596 pp. In H. A. Gleason Ill. Fl. N. U.S. (ed. 3). New York Botanical Garden, New York.
- Lorence, D. H. 1999. A nomenclator of Mexican and Central American Rubiaceae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 73: 1–177.
- Macbride, J. F. 1936. Rubiaceae, Flora of Peru. Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 13(6/1): 3–261.
- Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez. (eds.) 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75: i–viii, 1–1181.
- Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas i–lxi, 1–1183. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.
- Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Man. Vasc. Pl. Texas i–xv, 1–1881. The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson.
- Small, J. K. 1933. Man. S.E. Fl. i–xxii, 1–1554. Published by the Author, New York.
- Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Fl. Great Plains i–vii, 1–1392. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence.
- Fernald, M. 1950. Manual (ed. 8) i–lxiv, 1–1632. American Book Co., New York.
- Luteyn, J. L. 1999. Páramos, a checklist of plant diversity, geographical distribution, and botanical literature. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 84: viii–xv, 1–278.
- Munz, P. A. & D. D. Keck. 1959. Cal. Fl. 1–1681. University of California Press, Berkeley.
- Munz, P. A. 1974. Fl. S. Calif. 1–1086. University of California Press, Berkeley.
- Godfrey, R. K. & J. W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic Wetland Pl. S.E. U.S. Dicot. 933 pp. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens.
- Flora of China Editorial Committee. 2011. Fl. China 19: 1–884. Science Press & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing & St. Louis.
- Bacigalupo, N. M. 1965. Rubiaceae in A. Cabrera. 4(5): 342–375. In A. L. Cabrera Fl. Prov. Buenos Aires. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Buenos Aires.
- Dempster, L. T. 1993. 162(23). Rubiaceae---Rubieae. Fl. Ecuador 47: 21–35.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Tropicos.org Copyright (c) Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.tropicos.org/Name/27900076?tab=distribution |
More info for the terms: cover, density, duff, fire frequency, fire severity, forb, forbs, frequency, litter, restoration, severity, shrub, tree, wildfire
Single fires:
Stickywilly is typically
present in postfire communities. Coverage, frequency, and/or density are often
reduced immediately following fire; however, stickywilly's reduction or absence
postfire is likely short lived.
Coniferous forests:
The following studies
indicate that stickywilly is often absent from the 1st postfire year conifer communities. Several fires burned in 2 northeastern
Oregon forests
(Douglas-fir and subalpine fir) where stickywilly occurs. Moderately severe fires partially consumed the litter and woody
debris, blackened shrub stems, and charred and
partially burned tree trunks. Severe fires deeply charred tree trunks, consumed
most branches, consumed litter and duff, and left a white ash layer.
Stickywilly coverage in the 5th postfire year surpassed prefire coverages
in moderate and severe burns.
Pre- and postfire percent coverages for stickywilly are provided below [66]:
Vegetation association | prefire | postfire year 1 | postfire year 5 | prefire | postfire year 1 | postfire year 5 |
Douglas-fire/ninebark |
moderate burn (n=4) |
severe burn (n=2) |
||||
1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
Subalpine fir/menziesia (Menziesia ferruginea) |
partial burn (n=2) |
severe burn (n=2) |
||||
0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | no data |
A study of different-aged burns in western hemlock-Douglas-fir forests in the
Olympic Mountains of Washington revealed stickywilly's preference for recently
disturbed forests. The author described past fires as "catastrophic," but no additional information
regarding fire season or severity was given. The percent frequency of stickywilly
is shown below [64]:
Time since fire (years) | 2 | 3 | 19 | 110 | 515 |
Percent frequency | 0.04 | 0.19 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
Deciduous forests:
Reestablishment of stickywilly
following fires in deciduous woodlands is quick. In a red alder
woodland in the Oregon Coast Range, sites were clearcut in early
spring (March-April), treated with herbicide in June, and burned in early
August. The prefire frequency of stickywilly was 15%. Two months following
treatments
frequency of stickywilly was 0%, and 4 months later stickywilly frequency was
1% [122].
"Moderately disturbed" upland slippery
elm-dominated forests of northern Illinois burned during the 1992 dormant and
growing seasons. The dormant season fire burned in March when
temperatures averaged 62 °F (16.7 °C), relative humidity was 70%, and the 8 days prior received no precipitation.
Approximately 75%
to 80% of the unit burned,
flame heights measured between 5.9 and 39.4 inches (15-100 cm), and fire spread was 1.3 m/minute. The growing
season fire burned in May when temperatures averaged 78 °F (25.6 °C), relative
humidity was 29%, and the 9 days prior received no precipitation. Approximately
75%-80% of the unit burned, flame heights were between 4 and 29.5 inches (10-75 cm), and fire spread was 1.7
m/minute. The density of stickywilly decreased on all burned and unburned sites in
1992 and 1993. Stickywilly had not recovered on either burned site by the 3rd
postfire year. The prefire and postfire stem densities (per m²) of
stickywilly on dormant season burns, growing season burns, and unburned plots are
provided below [127].
Fire season | dormant (March) | growing (May) | unburned | |||||||||
Year | 1991 (prefire) |
1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1991 (prefire) | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1991 (prefire) | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 |
Stickywilly stem density (per m²) | 4.6 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 8.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 9.6 |
Shrublands/grasslands:
In shrubland and
grassland fires, stickywilly was commonly present in the 1st postfire community.
Following a July wildfire in the chaparral riparian zone of Ventura County,
California, stickywilly was present 1, 2, and 3 years following fire [26]. In west-central Utah, a fire burned
big sagebrush and Colorado pinyon-Utah juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus
osteosperma)
ecosystems. Stickywilly occurred on 2 plots in the 1st postfire season but was
not encountered in the 2nd or 3rd postfire years. The frequency of stickywilly on nearby unburned sites was 0 for
all 3
years of postfire sampling [109]. A late July fire in southern California's foothill chaparral vegetation produced
surface temperatures of 670 °F
(354 °C) and soil
temperatures of 156 °F (69 °C) 2 inches (5 cm) below the soil surface. In the preburn
community, stickywilly occupied 11 m²; in the 1st year postfire
stickywilly occupied 32 m². Researchers
indicate that annual forbs were replaced by increasingly dense grasses in the
2nd, 3rd, and 4th postfire years [84].
An "intense wildfire" burned Gambel oak and big
sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass communities in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah in
August of 1990. Coverage and frequency of stickywilly were greater on burned
sites compared to unburned areas. The coverage and frequency (percent of
quadrats in which species occurred) of stickywilly on burned and unburned plots
is given below [114]:
Community type | Gambel oak | big sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass | ||
Burn status | unburned | burned | unburned | burned |
Frequency (%) | 4.5 | 24.6 | 11.8 | 24.3 |
Cover (%) | 0.02 | 0.52 | 0.21 | 0.69 |
In northeastern Oregon, fires burned in 2 grazing exclosures (1 excluding
livestock and game animals, 1 excluding just livestock) within a common
snowberry-rose (Rosa spp.) community. The fire was moderately severe: it consumed the litter
and woody debris, blackened shrub stems, and charred and partially burned tree
trunks. Stickywilly coverage in the 5th postfire year surpassed prefire
coverages in both exclosures. Prefire and postfire percent coverage for
stickywilly is provided below [66]:
Burn severity |
moderate burn/no game or livestock postfire disturbance |
moderate burn/no livestock postfire disturbance (n=1) |
||||
Time since fire | prefire | 1 year | 5 yrs | prefire | 1 year | 5 yrs |
Cover (%) | 3 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 | trace |
While stickywilly is common in the 1st postfire year in shrub or grassland communities, some
studies did not detect stickywilly the 1st season following
fire. Following a November, 1994 fire in southern California's chaparral vegetation,
stickywilly was not present the 1st
postfire growing season. Stickywilly did occur in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th postfire years [49].
In a rough fescue-dominated grassland near Missoula, Montana, a late
June fire burned in 1977. The fire, pushed by gusty winds, consumed virtually all above ground vegetation. The
following fall (August
and September) received above normal precipitation. Researchers compared burned and nearby unburned
sites in the fall, spring, and summer immediately following the fire. Stickywilly was
not present on burned sites by the next summer [2].
The following study presents more long-term fire effects information by
comparing burned and unburned Gambel oak communities in central and northern Utah.
On unburned sites, the average frequency of stickywilly was 36.8; on burned
sites, stickywilly frequency was 33.1. A majority of the burned sites
experienced fires 8 years prior, while others burned less than 30 years before
initiating the study. Researchers provided no data regarding fire severity or
season [80].
Repeated fires:
Stickywilly's probability of recovery from fires seems to decrease as fire frequency
increases. In a mixed mesophytic forest of northern Kentucky,
sites burned repeatedly. For 2 and 3 consecutive fall seasons, prescription
fires with flame heights of up to 5.9 inches (15 cm) burned. The importance of
stickywilly was significantly (p<0.05) greater on unburned sites than on
sites repeatedly burned [88]. Spring fires (late March-early April)
burned annually, biennially, and at 4-, 10-, and 20-year intervals in tallgrass
prairie wetlands of northeastern Kansas. The relative importance of stickywilly
decreased with increased fire frequency. The relative importance values (%) are
provided below. Data are means and 1 standard deviation [67].
Fire frequency | 10 and 20 | 2 and 4 | annual fires |
Relative importance value | 19.7±3.2 | 3.5±3.1 | 0 |
Fall and spring prescribed burning in a basin big sagebrush community in east-central Oregon had no significant
effect on stickywilly frequency in postfire year 1 or 2 [126]. See the Research Project Summary of this work for more information on fire effects
on stickywilly and 60 additional forb, grass, and woody plant species.
These fire studies also provide information on postfire responses of plant species in communities that include stickywilly:
- Research Project Summary: Changes in stand structure and composition after thinning and burning in low-elevation, dry ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests of northeastern Oregon
- Research Project Summary: Vegetation response to restoration treatments in ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forests of western Montana
Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Galium+aparine |
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Galium+aparine |
More info for the terms: fire intensity, litter
Survival of stored seed following fire likely depends on depth of burial and fire intensity. Some suggest that seed in the litter layer is killed by fire [115], while others suggest recolonization of an area is by germination of on-site seed [138]. Pratt and others [115] found heat significantly reduced (p<0.05) stickywilly germination. See Germination for study specifics.
More info for the terms: indicator value, natural, presence
Stickywilly fruits heavily matted heavily
into sheep decrease wool value [21].
The chemical and mechanical control of stickywilly in cultivated
crops is discussed in several studies [21,51,62,91].
In natural settings, the presence of stickywilly may give an indication of
natural regeneration following disturbances. In southwestern Oregon, stickywilly had an indicator value of 11,
suggesting low to moderately low natural regeneration difficulty following clearcutting
in mixed conifer and mixed evergreen forests [43].
I, II, III, IV, V, RM, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, Juan Fernandez
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Pablo Gutierrez, IABIN |
Source | No source database. |
More info for the terms: initial off-site colonizer, secondary colonizer
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY [137]:
Initial off-site colonizer (off-site, initial community)
Secondary colonizer (on-site or off-site seed sources)