Geranium.] XX. GERANIACE^E. 93 



with slender, decumbent, slightly hairy stems ; the leaves deeply divided 

 as in G. dissectum, but the segments still narrower, mostly linear ; the 

 peduncles and pedicels long and slender ; the calyx considerably longer, 

 with long, slender points. Petals entire or notched, seldom exceeding 

 the calyx. Carpels but slightly hairy, or quite glabrous, not wrinkled. 

 Seeds dotted as in G. dissectum. 



In dry pastures, on banks and waste places, over Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Not so common as G. dissectum in 

 Britain, and very local in Scotland and Ireland. PL spring and summer. 



II. ERODIUM. ERODIUM. 



Prostrate or decumbent herbs, differing from Geranium in the divi- 

 sions or nerves of the leaves being pinnate, not palmate ; in the stamens 

 always reduced to 5, the 5 alternate ones being rudimentary only ; in 

 the awns of the carpels bearded with a few long hairs on the inside, 

 and spirally twisted after they are detached from the axis. The flowers 

 are also frequently more than 2 together, in an umbel on the summit of 

 the peduncle. 



The geographical range is nearly that of Geranium, in which genus 

 it was included by Linnaeus. But the greater number of the species 

 are maritime plants from the Mediterranean regions, or roadside weeds, 

 with flowers so insignificant that but few have ever been cultivated. 



Leaves pinnate, with distinct segments. 

 Segments deeply pinnatifid, with toothed lobes. Flowers of 



a reddish purple 1. E. cicutarium. 



Segments ovate, coarsely toothed or shortly lobed. Flowers 



of a bluish purple 2. E. moschatum. 



Leaves toothed or lobed, but not divided into distinct segments. 



Leaves ovate 3. E. maritimum. 



Leaves palmately lobed Geranium pusUlum. 



1. E. cicutarium, L'Hdr. (fig. 214). Common E. Usually an annual, 

 but often forming a dense tuft, with a thick taproot, and in some situa- 

 tions lasting at least a second year, always more or less covered with 

 spreading hairs, which are sometimes viscid. Stems sometimes exceed- 

 ingly short, sometimes lengthening out to 6 inches or near a foot. 

 Leaves mostly radical, pinnate, on long stalks, the segments distinct 

 and deeply pinnatifid, with narrow, more or less cut lobes. Peduncles 

 erect, bearing an umbel of from 2 or 3 to 10 or 12 small purple or pink 

 flowers. Sepals pointed, about the length of the obovate, entire petals. 

 Carpels slightly hairy, the beak varying from 16 to 18 lines in length. 



In waste and cultivated lands and dry pastures, especially near the 

 sea, and on roadsides ; very common in Europe, northern Asia, and 

 North America, short of the Arctic Circle. Generally distributed over 

 Britain. Fl. spring and summer. A maritime, more viscid, and hairy 

 variety, known in southern Europe as E. hirtum, is also found on our 

 own coasts. 



2. E. moschatum, L'He>. (fig. 215). Musk E. A mnch larger and 

 coarser plant than E. cicutarium, often strongly smelling of musk. 

 Stems often a foot long. Leaves on long footstalks, with from 9 to 11 

 distinct, ovate segments or leaflets, often cordate at the base, and 

 deeply toothed or shortly pinnatifid. Flowers generally numerous 

 in the umbel, of a bluish-purple, rather larger than in E. cicutarium, 



