9-1 GERANIUM FAMILV. 



ing a large sac contracted at the hottoin into a spur or littli' tail ; opposite the sac 

 is a notched petal, and within are 2 small, unequally 'J-lobed petals, one each side of 

 the sac ; these each represent 2 united petals. Stamens o, short, conniving or lightly 

 cohering around and covering the ii-celled ovary, which in fruit becomes a several- 

 seeded pod ; this bursts elastically, flying in pieces at the touch, scattering the seeds, 

 separating into 5 twisting valves and a thickish axis. Style none. Seeds rather large. 

 Erect, branching, succulent-stemmed herbs, with simple leaves and no stipules. 



1. GERANIUM, CKANESBILL. (Greek : crane, alluding probably 

 to the long beak in fruit.) The so-called Geraniums of cultivation 

 belong to Pelargonium. Flowers spring and summer. 



* Flowers large (1' or more across) and showy ; perennial. 

 -t- Peduncles 2-flou-ered and mure or hs!< clustered at the top of the stem. 



G. macul^tum, Linn. \yiLj) Ck.vxksbill. Stem erect from a stout 

 rootstock, hairy, branching, and terminating in long peduncles bearing 

 a pair of flowers ; leaves palmately parted into 5-7 wedge-shaped divisions 

 cut and cleft at the ""iid, sometimes whitish-blotched ; petals wedge- 

 obovate, light purple, h' long, bearded on the short claw : calyx sparsely 

 hairy. Common in woodlands and open groimds. 



G. Ibericum, Cav. Ibkkian or Spanish C. Leaves firm and lighter 

 below, roundish and cut into 5-7-toothed or lobed divisions ; flowers blue 

 or violet, with notched or trifid petals, and villous calyx. Cult, from 



P^ '^' 1- ■*- Peduncles 1-floicered, axillary. 



G. sanguineum, Linn. Blood C. Stems diffuse (l°-2° high) with 

 many opposite rounded leaves which are divided into 5-7 parts, these 

 again 3-lobed into linear divisions ; flowers red, on long solitary bracted 

 peduncles, pretty. Cult, from Eu. 



* * Flowers small, pinli ; annual or biennial. (Besides the two below, 

 ichich are native, several European species are sparingly introduced as 

 weeds. ) 



G. Roberti^num, Linn. Hkrr Robekt. Diffusely spreading, very 

 strong-scented, loosely hairy ; leaves finely cut, being divided into 3 

 twice-pinnatifid divisions ; flowers small ; petals pink or red purple. 

 Common N. in shady rocky places. 



G. Carolini^num, Linn. Stems erect or soon diffusely branched from 

 the base, 6'-18' high ; leaves palmately parted into 5 much cleft and cut 

 divisions ; peduncles and pedicels short ; flowers barely half as large as 

 in the foregoing, the pale, rose-colored petals notched at the end. 

 Common in open and mostly barren soil. 



2. ERODIUM, STORKSBILL. (Greek: a heron.) 



E. cicutarium, L'Her. Common- S. Low, Iiairy, and ratiier viscid ; 

 the leaves mostly from the root, pinnate ; the leaflets finely once or twice 

 pinnatifid ; peduncle bearing an umbel of .several small pinkish flowers in 

 summer, (j) Nat. from Eu., N. Y., Penn., etc., but not common. 



3. LIMNANTHES. (Greek: marsh flower; but in fact the plant 

 flourishes in merely moist soil.) (i) 



L. Dougl&sii, R. Br. Low and spreading, mostly smooth, and slightly 

 succulent ; leaves divided into 5-7 oblong or lanceolate and often 3-5- 

 cleft leaflets; flowers (in summer) solitary on slender axillary peduncles ; 

 petals white with a yellow base, wedge-oblong, notched at the end, twice 

 the length of the calyx, about \' long. Cult, from California. 



