GEEAlSriACE^, 143 



exclude Oxalis and Tropmolnm, confining it to the old Linnsean genus 

 Qeranium. 



Leaves opposite, cut or tootbed. Carpels 1-seeded, round the base of 

 a long-beaked receptacle or axis. 



Ten stamens 1. GtEEANHTM. 



Five stamens 2. Eeodium. 



Leaves radical, with three entire leaflets. Receptacle or axis not 



beaked. Carpels with several seeds 3. Oxalis. 



The Cape Pelargoniums, so frequent in our greenhouses, belong to the 

 Qeranium family. The South American TropfEolums, including the common 

 Nasturtium of our gardeners, are very nearly allied to Pelargonium, although 

 some botanists now propose to remove them far away from the family. 



I. GERANIUIVI. GEEANIUM. 



Herbs, with forked stems often swollen at the nodes, opposite, palmately 

 divided leaves, and purpUsli flowers, solitary or two together, on axillary 

 peduncles. Stamens 10, of wliioh 5 shorter, but generally with anthers. 

 Ovary 5-lobed, terminating in a long beak with 5 short stigmas on the top, 

 the lobes being all whorled round the long-beaked receptacle. Capsule sepa- 

 rating into 5 two-seeded carpels, which curl upwards, with a long elastic 

 awn, detached from the beak, and glabrous inside. 



A genus spread over the northern hemisphere, with a few species in the 

 southern, but always without the tropics. It is easily distinguished from 

 all but jEr odium by the long beak of the fruit, which has given to the two 

 genera Oeranium and Erodium the popular name of Crane' s-hill. 



Kootstock perennial. Flowers usually large. 



Peduncles 1 -flowered 1. Stood Q. 



Peduncles with 3 (rarely 3) flowers. 



Petals deeply notched. (Flowers not so large.) 5. Mountain &. 



Petals entire or slightly notched. 



Petals dark purple, very spreading or almost reflexed. Points 



ol' the sepals very short 2. Duslcy G-. 



Petals bluish-purple. Sepals with long fine points. 

 Pedicels of the fruit erect. Flowers numerous, corymbose 3. Wood G, 

 Pedicels of the fruit spreading or reflexed. Flowers in a 



loose panicle 4. Meadow 0-. 



Annuals, with small flowers. 



Leaves of 3 distinct segments, which are pinnately cut or divided 6. Serh-Mobert &. 

 Leaves palmately cut or dirided into 5 or more lobes or segments. 

 Calyx pyramidal, with projecting angles. Petals entire, much 



longer than the sepals _ .... 7. Shining &, 



Calyx scarcely angular. Petals about as long, unless deeply 

 notched. 

 Leaves divided to the base into 5 or more narrow cut seg- 

 ments. 

 Peduncles much shorter than the leafstalks. 



Leaves much divided. Seeds dotted 11. Cut-leaved O. 



Leaves small, the lower ones divided to the middle only. 



Seeds smooth 9. Small-flowered &. 



Peduncles and pedicels long and slender. Leaves much 



divided 12. Long-stalked G, 



Leaves orbicular, seldom divided below the middle. 

 Petals deeply notched. 



Petals tnice as long as the calyx 5. Mountain G. 



Petals not longer than the calyx 8. Dove's-foot G. 



Petals entire or slightly notched. 



Leaves shortly divided into broad lobes. Seeds dotted . 10. Sound-leaved G. 



k Leaves divided to the middle. Seeds smooth .... 9. Small-flowered <?. 



