GERANIACEiE. 187 



habit Europe ; 4 Siberia ; 5 Caucasus and Tauria ; 2 Iberia ; 5 Dahuria ; 

 2 the Levant; 9 N. Africa; 2 TenerifFe and Madeira; (1 Geranium; 1 Pelar- 

 gorium) 2 St. Helena; (P.) 11 New Holland and Van Diemen's Land; 

 (9 G. and E. ; 2 P.) 1 Arabia ; (E.) 2 N. America (E.) ; 14 S. America ; 

 (2 Rhynchothecas ; the rest G. and E.) and 1 Tristan d'Acunha, (P.) In 

 S. Africa have been found 350 species ; viz. 8 Monsonias, and a few Ge- 

 raniums and Erodiums, the rest all Pelargoniums. {Harvey.) The E. 

 Indian forms amount to about 14, (13 of Geranium, and 1 of Er odium.) 

 With the exception of one species from the Peninsula of India, they are all 

 natives of the Himalayas. One of them, Geranium eriostemon, Fisch, is 

 also an inhabitant of Dahuria. 



" An astringent principle and an aromatic or resinous flavour are the 

 characteristics of this order. — Some of the Pelargoniums are acidulous, but 

 this genus is chiefly known as an object of garden culture, for which its 

 great beauty, and the facility with which the species or supposed species 

 intermix, render it well adapted. (Lindl.) This intermixture, so unplea- 

 sant to those who wish to see plants distinct in their characters, has fully 

 justified W. Curtis's prophecy (in 1797), " that in a few years, from the 

 multiplication of seminal varieties, springing from seeds casually or perhaps 

 purposely impregnated with the pollen of diff^erent sorts, such a crop will 

 be produced as will baflle all our attempts to reduce to species, or even re- 

 gular varieties." 

 MoNsoNiA, L. fil. {DC.pr. \,p. 638, sect. 3.) 



1. pilosa, Willd. {DC. I. c.—M. speciosa, Swt. ger. t. 77.) % C. G. H. 

 Fl. large, greenish-white, with a red eye, March. 



2. speciosa, L. {DC. pr. I, p. 638 ;— 5. M, 3, L 73.) % C. G. H. Fl. 

 large, pale rose-coloured, with a crimson eye, March. 



Geranium, L. {DC. pr. I, p. 639 ;—W. and A.pr. \,p. 133.) 



\. nepalense, Swt. {ger. t. 12; — DC. pr. 1, p. 643.) © Nepal, Mus- 

 sooree. Cashmere. Fl. largish, deep rose, with a dark purple eye, 

 C. S. ; fr. H. S. 



2. rotundifolium, L. {DC. pr. l,p. 643;— E. B. 3, /. 157.) © Europe. 

 Fl. small, deep rose, Feb. and March ; fr. April. 



3. columbinum, L. {DC. I. c. ; — E. B. 4, t. 259.) © Europe. Fl. small- 

 ish, rose-coloured, March. 



4. dissectum, L. (DC. pr. 1, p. 643;— E. B. 11, t. 753.) © Europe, 

 Iberia. Fl. small, rose, Feb. and March ; fr. April. 



5. lucidum, L. {DC. pr. 1, p. 644;— E. B. 2. t. 75.) © Europe. Fl. 

 small, rose, Feb. and March ; fr. April. 



6. Robertianum, L. {DC. I. c.;—E. B. 21, t. I486.) © Europe. Fl. 

 small, purplish, Feb. and March ; fr. April. 



Erodium, L'Herit. {DC. pr. \, p. 644.) 



1. cicutarium, Sm. {DC. o. c. p. 646;— E. B. 25, t. 1768;— Roxb. H. 

 B. p. 49.) © Europe. N. Africa. Levant. Fl, small, deep rose, 

 Feb. and March ; fr. April. 



