88 Geraniacee—Geranium. 
variable, with or without albumen. There are 16 genera and 
about 750 species, found in nearly all parts of the world, but 
especially numerous in South Africa. 
1, GERANIUM. ! 
Herbs, rarely shrubby, stems often tumid at the joints. 
Leaves opposite or alternate, bistipulate, dentate, palmately or 
rarely pinnately lobed or dissected. Peduncles axillary, 1- or 
2-flowered. Flowers regular. Sepals and petals imbricate in 
bud. Stamens usually 10, of which 5 are sometimes imperfect. 
Carpels 5, separating from the axis below and curled upwards ; 
seeds 1 in each carpel. There are about 100 species, very 
widely distributed. About twelve are natives of Britain. G. 
Robertianum is perhaps the commonest. It is an erect foetid 
plant with reddish stems, much divided leaves, and small 
striped red flowers. The name is derived from yépavos, a crane, 
from the beak-like termination of the fruit—hence the Eng- 
lish name, Cranesbill. 
1. G. sanguinewm.—An indigenous perennial species from 1 
to 2 feet high. Stems geniculate. 
Leaves pilose, orbicular, 5- to 7-par- 
tite, lobes again divided into 3 or 5 
narrow segments. Sepals awned. 
Peduncles usually 1-flowered. 
Flowers about 14 inch in diameter, 
reddish purple. A very handsome 
species. There is also a distinct 
variety of more prostrate habit with 
pinkish flowers; it is the G. Lan- 
custriénse of gardens. 
2. G. plutypétalum (fig. 57).—A 
Caucasian species. This is allied to 
sylvdticum, a handsome native spe- 
cies having clusters of purplish 
flowers. It is a very hairy plant, 
bearing a profusion of violet-blue 
flowers. This is sometimes grown 
under the name Ibericwm, which is 
a very similar plant, and of which it 
Fig. 57. foes apes may he a simple variety. 
ne 3. G. stridtum.—A very com- 
mon species in cultivation. It usually grows about a foot 
