DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERS. 



GERANIUM. CRANES-BILL. 



[The name from the Greek word for crane, as the long beaked fruit has some 

 resemblance to the bill of that bird,] 



Most of the plants, popularly called Geraniums, belong 

 to the genus Pelargonium, and will be found under that 

 head. Geranium proper, has regular flowers with ten 

 stamens, all with perfect anthers, while the flower of Pe- 

 largonium is somewhat irregular by having a spur at the 

 base of the calyx, and though it has ten stamens, a por- 

 tion of them, usually three, have imperfect anthers. The 

 Geraniums are all herbaceous, while Pelargoniums are 

 for the most part shrubby^ 



Geranium macula turn. Cranes-bill. This is a hand- 

 some indigenous plant, growing about fences and the 

 edges of woods, preferring a soil that is somewhat moist. 

 Stems erect, hairy, dividing by forks, or more numerous 

 branches ; one to two feet high. Leaves large, spread- 

 ing, hairy, divided in a palmate manner into five or seven 

 lobes, which are variously cut and toothed at their ex- 

 tremities ; the lower ones petioled, the upper ones nearly 

 sessile. As the leaves grow old, they are usually marked 

 with pale spots about the sinuses ; hence the specific 

 name maculatum spotted. Petals rounded, purple ; 

 May, June. 



G. prattfnse, Crow-foot leaved. A native of Britain. 

 It is said that "its flower partakes of a delicacy by which 

 it greatly surpasses in effect its more common blue con- 

 gener. Its flowers vary much in the portion of color they 

 display, some being nearly all blue, whilst others are pro- 

 duced completely white." One and one-half foot high ; 

 May to July. 



G. Lancastri^nse. A native of Lancastershire, Eng- 

 land. This hrss purple flowers ; dwarf-creeping habit ; 

 an elegant species ; June to September. Probably only 

 a variety of'Gr. sanguineum. 



