42 GERANIUM MACULATUM 



united to the central beak, but separate at the end to form 

 5 recurved branches, with the stigmatic surface internal. Fruit 

 dry, the 5 small, hairy, 1 -seeded carpels (cocci) separating 

 septicidally and being carried away from the axis by the styles, 

 which become detached from below and curve upwards elastically, 

 so as to turn the cocci outwards and allow the seed to fall out. 

 Seeds oblong, faintly reticulate under a lens ; embryo with an 

 incumbent radicle and large plicate cotyledons, no endosperm. 



Habitat. Very common in fields and bushy places in North 

 America, extending from Canada throughout the United States, 

 but only in the hilly districts in the south ; a beautiful plant, 

 flowering in the early summer. The name maculatum refers to the 

 blotched appearance which the leaves assume as they become old. 

 Frequently cultivated in this country. It is closely allied to the 

 British Cranesbills G. pratensej L., and G. sylvaticum, L. 



DC. Prod, i, p. 642; Hook, Fl. Bor.-Am., i, p. 115; A. Gray, 

 Man. Bot. U. States, p. 107 j Chapman, FL South. States, p. 65 ; 

 Lindl., Fl. Med., p. 221. 



Official Part and Name. GEEANIUM ; the rhizome (U. S. P.). 

 Not official in the British Pharmacopoeia, or the Pharmacopoeia of 

 India. 



Collection. The rhizome is collected in the autumn months, or 

 early in the spring before active vegetation has commenced ; and 

 then dried for use. 



General Characters and Composition. Geranium, as seen in 

 commerce, either consists of the rhizomes alone, as is more 

 generally the case, or of the rhizomes with small rootlets attached 

 below ; or rarely, the rootlets are seen in a loose state mixed with 

 the rhizomes. It is commonly termed alum-root. The rhizome is 

 usually simple, or rarely branched ; it varies in length from one to 

 about three inches, and in thickness from a quarter to half an inch 

 or more. It is commonly much twisted, somewhat flattened, and 

 marked externally with numerous wrinkles and thick hard projec- 

 tions of varying lengths, so that it presents an irregular, somewhat 

 coralline appearance. It has a dark reddish or umber-brown colour 

 externally ; and a reddish-grey or pale flesh colour internally. It 



