296 xxvii. GERANIACEJE. \Gera7imn. 



tmcQt to tlie N.W., and in a slight variety also over most temperate parts of the northern 

 hemisphere. Neither of them occurs in S. Africa. 



Flowering-stems elongated and leafy. Seeds reticulate . • . 1. G^. dissecium, ' 

 riowering-stems undeveloped or short. Seeds quite smooth . . 2, Q . sessilijlor am. 



Besides these, G. moUe, Linn. ; DC. Prod. 1643, a European annual weed, with orbicular 

 leaves divided to the middle only, small flowers with dcc])ly notched petals^ Avrinkled capsule- 

 lobes, and smooth seeds, has established itself in some parts of Tasmania* 



1. G. dissectum, Lhm.; DC. Prod. i. 643, var. australe. Usually 

 perennial, forming at length a thick rootstock, descending into a taproot. 

 Stems diffuse, procumbent or shortly erect, more or less hairy with spreading 

 or reflexed hairs, or hoary with a short pubescence. Leaves on long petioles, 

 nearly orbicular in their circumscription, deeply divided into 5 or 7 segments, 

 each one again more or less cut into 3 or more lobes, varying from broadly 

 cuncate-oblong to linear, and usually pubescent or haiiy, especially under- 

 neath. Peduncles 2-flowered, or rarely 1- or 3-flovvered. Sepals 3-nerved, 

 obtuse, acute, or very shortly mucronate ; usually 2 or 3 lines long. Petals 

 cnueate-obovate, entire or slightly notched, from rather longer than the sepals 

 to twice as long. Anthers all perfect. Lobes of the capsule sprinkled with 

 hairs, not wnnkled. Seeds covered with minute reticulations or rarely smooth. 



Hook. f. PL N. Zeal. i. 39, and Fl. Tasra. i. 5fi; F. Muell. PI. Vict. i. 

 173 ; G, pilosnm, Forst. ; DC. Prod. i. 642 ; Nees, in PI. Prciss. i. 162; 

 G, parvifloram, Willd. ; DC. Prod. i. 642 ; G.pJdlonothum, DC. Prod. i. 639 

 (from the character given); G^. potentilloides, L'Her., DC. Prod. i. 639; 

 Hook. f. FL N. Zeal. i. 40 ; Fl. Tasm. i. 57 ; G. amtrale, Nees, in PL Pi'eiss. 

 i. 162. 



N. S. TValea. Port Jackson, R. Brown ; conunon in the colony extending northwards 

 to New England, C. Stuart ; and Clarence river, Beckler. 



^ Victoria- Port Phillip, K Brown; fretiuent throughout the colony, ascending to alpine 

 situations, F. Mueller, 



Tasmania. Abundant throughout the colony, J. D. Hooker. 



S. Australia. Common in the colony, F. Mueller. 



"W. Australia, Drummond, Freiss, n. 1900, 190? ; Oldfield and others. 



Tlie onjrinal form of G. dUseduin, as generally diffused over the temperate regions of ihe 

 northern hemisphere, in the Old World, is an annual, with the petals very rarely exceeding 

 the scpnls, and the seeds very prominently reticulate. In the eastern United States of 

 N, America, under the name of G. caroliviannm, Linn., it is also annual or biennial, but has 

 the [)etals ofteu ralher larj^er and tke reticulations of the seeds are finer and less prominent. 

 West of the Rocky Mountains the stock often appears to be perennial, and then it is uudis- 

 tiiiguishable from some Australian forms. The comuiouest Australian form is frequently sent 

 from estrutropical S. America, and extends all along the niountainous regions of that conti- 

 nent to Mcxieo and the Rocky Mountains, ofteu appareutlv toL^ether with and passing nito 

 the northern annual variety. The Australian plant again, both in that country and m 

 Wew Zealand, is very variable, and may be generally subdivided into two principal raecs, 

 although I have, after repeated trials, found it impossible to distribute our numerous speci- 

 meus quite gatisfactorily into the two groups, viz.: — 



a. pilosum, Eoot thick. Stem's erect, aficending or procumbL-nt, usually hirsute. 

 Seeds strontrly reticulate. 



b. foieniilloldes. Root and stock less thickened. Stems more slender and prostrate, 

 Im hairy, and usuaUy only slightly hoary with more appresaed pubescence. Seeds more 

 finely reticulnte, or rarely almost smooth. To this variety belor,!:? gcLcrally the G.potentil- 

 loides of authors, and G. avstrale, Nees. It appears to be rather the more common form in 

 the East, whilst the v^r.pilosurn is more frequent in the West. But both are found through- 

 out cxtiatropical Australia. 



