GERANIUM FAMILY 155 



t 



If you find some flowers which have gone by 

 and which are maturing the long seed pods you 

 will readily see why the plant is called the Crane's- 

 bill, and if you touch some of the seed pods that 

 are brow^n and ripe you will see an interesting 

 way in which a plant may scatter its seeds. 



Herb Robert. The Herb Robert or Red 

 Robin is a species of Wild Geranium which is 

 often found in rocky woods throughout the East- 

 ern States. It is an annual or biennial plant, with 

 flowers much smaller than those of the Wild 

 Geranium, and it is not nearly so attractive as a 

 wild flower as is the more common species. In 

 various parts of the country there are also several 

 other species of Crane's-bills, most of which have 

 rather small blossoms. One of the most interest- 

 ing of these is the Siberian Crane's-bill, which 

 has been introduced from Asia and which is found 

 abundantly in the outskirts of New York City. 



OBSERVATIONS FOR NOTEBOOK 



Wild Geranium : 



(A) I. Does the Wild Geranium grow most abun- 

 dantly in the woods or in the fields? 



2. What sort of a root system has it? 



3. How early have you found the blossoms? 



4. How may sepals are there? 



5. How many petals? 



6. How many stamens? 



