1. G. Aparìne, L. (Cleavers. Goose-Grass.) Stem weak and reclining, bristle-prickly backward, hairy at the joints; leaves lanceolate, tapering to the base, short-pointed, rough on the margins and midrib (1–2´ long); flowers white.—Shaded grounds, throughout the continent; probably as an introduced plant eastward.
[*][*] Perennials; leaves in 4's, comparatively large, and broad (narrower in n. 7 and 8), not cuspidate-pointed, more or less distinctly 3-nerved; fruit uncinate-hispid (except in n. 6 and 7).
[+] Peduncles loosely 3–several-flowered; flowers dull purple to yellowish-white.
2. G. pilòsum, Ait. Hairy; leaves oval, dotted, hairy (1´ long), the lateral nerves obscure; peduncles 2–3-forked, the flowers all pedicelled.—Dry copses, R. I. and Vt. to Ill., E. Kan., and southward.
Var. puncticulòsum, Torr. & Gray. Almost glabrous; leaves varying to elliptical-oblong, hispidulous-ciliate.—Va. to Tex.
3. G. Kamtscháticum, Steller. Stems weak, mainly glabrous (1° high); leaves orbicular to oblong-ovate, thin (½–1´ long), slightly pilose; flowers slenderly pedicellate; corolla glabrous, yellowish-white, not turning dark, its lobes merely acute. (G. circæzans, var. montanum, Torr. & Gray.)—Higher mountains of N. Eng., L. Canada, and far westward. (Asia.)
4. G. circæ̀zans, Michx. (Wild Liquorice.) Smooth or downy (1° high); leaves oval, varying to ovate-oblong, mostly obtuse, ciliate (1–1½´ long); peduncles usually once forked, the branches elongated and widely diverging in fruit, bearing several remote flowers on very short lateral pedicels, reflexed in fruit; lobes of the greenish corolla hairy outside, acute or acuminate.—Rich woods, N. Eng. to Minn., south to Fla. and Tex.
5. G. lanceolàtum, Torr. (Wild Liquorice.) Nearly glabrous; leaves (except the lowest) lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, tapering to the apex (2´ long); corolla glabrous, yellowish turning dull purple, lobes more acuminate; otherwise like the last.—Dry woods, N. Eng. to N. Mich. and Minn.
6. G. latifòlium, Michx. Smooth (1–2° high); leaves lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acute (2´ long), the midrib and margins rough; cymes panicled, loosely many-flowered, the purple flowers on slender spreading pedicels; fruit smooth, rather fleshy.—Dry woods, mountains of Penn. to N. C. and Tenn.
7. G. Arkansànum, Gray. Similar but lower; leaves lanceolate to linear (1´ long or less), the lateral nerves obscure or none.—S. Mo. and Ark.