Galium tomentosum

Galium tomentosum, commonly known as old man’s beard and in Afrikaans as kleefgras (clinging grass) or rooivergeet (red forget), is a perennial herb, a shade plant that scrambles into surrounding vegetation to heights of 3 m. The twining stems may cover a supporting plant quite comprehensively. Where the soft branches grow beyond the available support, they droop.

The distribution of the species includes all the South African provinces apart from those north of the Vaal River, as well as parts of Namibia.

The plant is found in many habitats, often in sandy soil on flat ground and lower slopes, in kloofs and seasonal watercourses, but not in fynbos. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Shearing and Van Heerden, 2008; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; http://redlist.sanbi.org).