GERANIACE^:. 69 



in close terminal clusters; sepals pubescent, lanceolate, acuminate, not 

 glandular; petals \i in. long, 2-toothed, 3-appendiculate, the median 

 appendage long and hairy: capsule sub-globose, shorter than the calyx. — 

 A rare species, to be sought at the north of Mt. Tamalpais. 



Order xxiv. GERANIACE/E. 



Ours soft-herbaceous plants with acidulous, pungent or aromatic 

 properties, and perfect mostly 5-merous flowers. Sepals and petals 

 distinct, the later deciduous, their insertion, like that of the 5 — 15 

 stamens, hypogynous. Filaments distinct or slightly connate at base : 

 anthers versatile, 2-celled, dehiscing lengthwise. Carpels as many as the 

 sepals and alternate with them (or fewer), united around a central 

 column, becoming distinct and 1-seeded in maturity, or else forming an 

 elastically dehiscent 5 — 10-valved many-seeded capsule. 



1. GERANIUM, Diosc. (Cranesbill). Stems with enlarged joints. 

 Leaves mostly opposite, palmately lobed; stipules scarious. Peduncles 

 umbellately few-flowered, or 1-flowered. Flowers regular; sepals and 

 petals imbricate in bad. Fertile stamens 10. Carpels 5, 2-ovuled, 1- 

 seeded; styles persistent, coherent with the central column until the 

 carpel is ripe, then splitting away from it elastically from below 

 upwards, each forming a coil, not bearded within. 



* Annuals. 



1. G. Carolinianum, L. Erect, much branched from the base, 1 ft. 

 high, the pubescent herbage light-colored: leaves 5-parted, the divisions 

 cleft into many oblong-linear lobes: sepals awn-pointed, as long as the 

 pale flesh-colored emarginate petals: carpels pubescent: seeds ovoid- 

 oblong, blackish, minutely reticulate. — Common. 



2. G. dissbotum, L. Taller than the last, the herbage of a darker 

 green; leaves cut into narrower and more acute segments: fl. larger, 

 bright red-purple, the petals more deeply emarginate; seed roundish, more 

 strongly reticulate. — Bather common; preferring moist and partially 

 shaded situations; continuing in flower until the end of June. 



3. G. mollh, L. Low, slender, diffuse, the branches a few inches to 

 1 ft. long, the herbage softly and somewhat clammily villous : leaves 1 

 in. broad or more, cleft into oblong obtusish lobes: sepals ovate-oblong 

 not awn-pointed: petals very small, rose-color: carpels glabrous, trans- 

 versely rugose: seed minutely striate. — About the U. S. Marine Hospital, 

 San Francisco. 



* * Perennial. 



4. G. kbtbobsum, L'Her. Stouter than any of the foregoing, light 

 green, glabrous except a short sliffish retrorsely appressed pubescence on 



