Day 294: While we're on the subject of invasive and introduced species, I'd like to present an example of the process in action. While working on my Nisqually Land Trust site yesterday, I picked up litter and removed several old tires to a location where they are out of sight to await pickup by another crew. I had to walk through grass and weeds to reach the "drop" about 25 feet from the roadside. In the process, my clothing and shoes gathered an abundance of seeds, including those of Cleavers (Galium aparine). It is easy to see why Cleavers got its common name. The seed capsule is a round 1/8" burr covered in tiny hooks. While grass seeds can be rubbed out of socks and off trouser legs, Cleavers requires a painstaking, one-by-one removal. It took me twenty minutes to de-seed myself before going home.
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