62 Geraniaceae 



Carpels (5-2) often separating from each other when 

 ripe. Ovules usually 2-1, more rarely 00, anatropous, 

 pendulous, with ventral raphe and micropyle directed 

 upwards, or, when more than one ovule is present, single 

 ones sometimes occur with dorsal raphe and micropyle 

 directed downwards. 



Suborder i. Geraniineae. Flowers heterochlamy- 

 deous, mostly actinomorphic. Usually obdiplostemonous 

 (i.e. stamens twice as many as petals, and carpels when 

 isomerous opposite petals). Haplostemony more rarely, 

 or individual stamens may abort in zygomorphic flowers. 

 Anthers opening by longitudinal slits. Carpels isomerous 

 or oligomerous. Ovules with two integuments. 



Fam. I. Geraniaceae. Herbs with lobed or 

 divided, often stipulate leaves. Flowers 5-merous, actino- 

 morphic. No real disc present. Petals imbricate or 

 convolute in bud. Stamens 10, sometimes only five 

 fertile. Carpels usually 5, each with 1-2 ovules. Capsnle 

 splitting into five beaked mericarps. Seeds with endo- 

 sperm. 



Tribe i. Geranieae. Mericarps separating by means 

 of elastic awns. 



Fertile stamens 10. Styles glabrous within, twisting 

 in flat spiral after dehiscence. Geraniumf . 



Fertile stamens 5. Styles silky within, twisting in 

 helicoid spiral after dehiscence. Erodium. 



t The so-called Geraniu?ns of cultivation belong to the South 

 African genus Pelargonium, which differs from the other Geranieae 

 in having a sepaline spur which is adnate to the pedicel and best 

 seen in section. The flowers are slightly zygomorphic. The fruit 

 resembles that of Erodium, 



