DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERS. 221 
GERANIUM.—Cranzs-Bi1. 
{The name from the Greek word for crane, as the long beaked fruit has some 
resemblance to the bill of that bird,] 
Most of the plants, popularly called Geraniums, belong 
to the genus Pelargonium, and will be found under that 
head. Geranium proper, has regular flowers with ten 
stamens, all with perfect anthers, while the flower of Pe- 
largonium is somewhat irregular by having a spur at the 
base of the calyx, and though it has ten stamens, a por- 
tion of them, usually three, have imperfect anthers. The 
Geraniums are all herbaceous, while Pelargoniums are 
for the most part shrubby. 
Geranium maculatum.—Cranes-bill.—This is a hand- 
some indigenous plant, growing about fences and the 
edges of woods, preferring a soil that is somewhat moist. 
Stems erect, hairy, dividing by forks, or more numerous 
branches ; one to two feet high. Leaves large, spread- 
ing, hairy, divided in a palmate manner into five or seven 
lobes, which are variously cut and toothed at their ex- 
tremities; the lower ones petioled, the upper ones nearly 
sessile. As the leaves grow old, they are usually marked 
with pale spots about the sinuses; hence the specific 
name maculatum—spotted. Petals rounded, purple; 
May, June. 
G. praténse.—Crow-foot leaved.—A native of Britain. 
It is said that “its flower partakes of a delicacy by which 
it greatly surpasses in effect its more common blue con- 
gener. Its flowers vary much in the portion of color they 
display, some being nearly all blue, whilst others are pro- 
duced completely white.” One and one-half foot high; 
May to July. 
G. Lancastriénse.—A native of Lancastershire, Eng- 
land. This has purple flowers; dwarf-creeping habit; 
an elegant species; June to September. Probably only 
a variety of G. sanguineum. 
