196 XXVII. GERANIACE^E. GERANIUM. 



limits of this Flora), also of Europe and Asia. Not uncommon in gardens. 

 Flowers large, blue, f 



ORDER XXVII. GERANIACB^l. GERANIA. 



Stems herbaceous or siiffrutegcent, tumid and separable at the nodes. 



Lvs. opposite, (at least the lower ones,) mostly stipulate, petiolate, palmately veined. 



Fls. Peduncles terminal or opposite the leaves, sometimes axillary. 



Cal. Sepals 5, persistent, veined, one sometimes saccate or spurred at base. 



Cor. -Petals 5, hypogynous or perigynous, unguiculate ; aestivation twisted. 



Sta. usually monadelphous, hypogynous, twice 91 thrice as many as the petals. 



Ova. ^ of 3 united carpels, 2-ovuled, alternate with sepals, upon an elongated axis, from which they sepa- 



Fr. I rate in fruit, curving upwards on the persistent style. 



Genera 4, species 500. The Cape of Good Hope is the favorite habitation of some of the most impor- 

 tant genera. Most species of the beautiful Pelargonia are native of that region alone. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



fall perfect. Geranium. 1 



< 5 perfect, with 5 shorter and imperfect Erodium. 2 



Stamens 10, ( 7 perfect ; corolla irregular Pelargonium. 3 



1. GERANIUM. 



Gr. ycpai/os, a crane; the beaked fruit resembles a crane's bill. 



Sepals and petals 5, regular; stamens 10, all perfect, the 5 alter- 

 nate ones longer, and each with a nectariferous gland at its base ; 

 fruit rostrate, at length separating into 5 long-styled, 1 -seeded car- 

 pels ; styles smooth inside, at length recurved from the base upwards 

 and adhering by the point to the summit of the axis. Herbaceous, 

 rarely shrubby at base. Peduncles 1, 2 or 3-flowered. 



1. G. MACULATUM. Spotted Geranium. 



St. erect, angular, dichotomous, retrorsely pubescent ; Ivs. 3 5-parted, 

 lobes cuneiform and entire at base, incisely serrate above, radical ones on long 

 petioles, upper ones opposite, on short petioles; pet. entire; sep. mucronate- 

 awned. Woods, &c., U. S. and Can., but rare in N. Eng. A fine species, 

 worthy a place among the parlor " geraniums." Stem 1 2f high. Leaves 

 2 3' diam., cleft f way down, 2 at each fork. Flowers mostly in pairs, on 

 unequal pedicels, often somewhat umbeled on the ends of the long peduncles. 

 Root powerfully astringent. Apr. Jn. 



2. G. ROBERTIANUM. Herb Robert. 



St. diffuse, hairy ; Ivs. 3 5-parted to the base, the segments pinnatifid, 

 and the pinnae incisely toothed ; sep. mucronate-awned, half the length of the 

 entire petals. 7J. Smaller and less interesting than the preceding, in dry, rocky 

 places, Can. to Va. and Ky. It has a reddish stem, with long, diffuse, weak 

 branches. Leaves on long petioles, somewhat hairy, outline 1J 3' diam, with 

 pinnatifid segments. Flowers small, pale purple,. Capsules small, rugose, 

 keeled. Seeds smooth. The plant has a strong disagreeable smell. May. Sept. 



3. G. PUSILLUM. Weak Crane's-bill. 



St. procumbent ; Ivs. reniform or roundish, deeply 5 7-parted, lobes 

 3-cleft, linear; sep. hairy, acuminate, about as long as the emarginate petals. 

 (T) A delicate, spreading species, growing in waste grounds, pastures, &c., L. I. 

 and Western N. Y. Torr. Stem weak, If long, branching, covered with short, 

 deflected hairs. Leaves opposite, divided almost to the base into 5 or 7 lobes, 

 these again variously cut. Peduncles axillary, forked, bearing 2 purplish-red 

 flowers in Jn. and Jl. 



4. G. CAROLINIANUM. Carolinian Crane's-bill. 



St. diffusely branched ; Ivs. deeply 5-parted, lobes incisely toothed ; ped. 

 rather short and clustered on the ends of the branches; sep. mucronate-awned, 

 as long as the emarginate petals. (!) Fields and hills throughout Can. and 

 U. S. Stems pubescent, diffuse, 8 15' long, swelling at the joints. Leaves 

 I H' diam., hairy. Flowers small, rose-colored, in pairs, and somewhat fas- 

 ciculate. Seeds minutely reticulated, reddish brown, 1 in each hairy, beaked 

 carpel. Jl. Perhaps too near the following species. 



