GEBANIACEJE. 147 



branched, and the leaves much more deeply divided into 5, 7 or 9 narrow 

 segments, which are again deeply trifid or lobed. Peduncles very short, 

 bearing two small pm-ple flowers ; the sepals rather larger than in the three 

 last species, with distinct subulate points ; the petals about their length, 

 slightly notched. Carpels hairy, without wrinkles. Seeds beautifully and 

 minutely reticulated or dotted. The hairiness of the plant is variable ; usually 

 the stems are clothed with long, reflexed hairs, the leaves with a short, sort 

 down. 



In dry pastures, waste and cultivated places, common in Exirope and 

 Kussian Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring 

 and summer. 



12. Iiong-stalked Geranium. Geranium columbinum, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 259.) 



An annual, with slender, decumbent, shghtly hairy stems; the leaves 

 deeply divided as in the cut-leaved G., but the segments still narrower, 

 mostly linear ; the peduncles and pedicels long and slender ; the calyx con- 

 siderably longer, with long, slender points. Petals entire or notched, seldom 

 exceeding the calyx. Cai-pels but slightly hairy, or quite glabrous, not 

 vn-inkled. Seeds dotted as in the cut-leaved G. 



In dry pastures, on banks and waste places, widely spread over Europe 

 and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Not so common as the cut- 

 leaved G. in Britain, and very local in Scotland. Fl. spring and summer. 



II. ERODIUM. EEODIUM. 



Prostrate or decumbent herbs, differing from Geranium in the divisions 

 or nerves of the ISaves being pinnate, not palmate ; in the stamens always re- 

 duced to 5, the 5 alternate ones bemg rudimentary only ; in the awns of the 

 carpels bearded witli a few long hairs on the inside, and spirally twisted 

 after tliey are detached £i-om the axis. The flowers are also frequently more 

 than two together, in an lunbel on the summit of the peduncle. 



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

 was included by Linneeus. But the greater number of the species are ma- 

 ritime 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. Common E. 



Segments ovate, coarsely toothed or shortly lobed. 



Flowers of a bluish purple 2. Musk E. 



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



Leaves ovate 3. Sea E. 



Leaves palmately lobed Small-flowered Geranium. 



1. Common Erodium. Erodium cicutarium, L'Her. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1768.) 

 Usually an annual, but often forming a dense tuft, with a thick taproot, 

 and in some situations lasting at least a second year, always more or less 

 covered with spreading hairs, which are sometimes viscid. Stems some- 

 tmies exceedingly short, sometimes lengthening out to 6 iriches 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. 



