

Geranium Robertianum. Strong-scented 

 Cranes-bill, or Herb Robert I 



GERANIUM Linnai Gen, PL Monadelphia Decandria. 



Stigmata quinque. Fruttus roftratus, pentacoccus. 

 Rail Syn. 335. Herb^ pentapetal.e vasculifer^:. 

 GERANIUM robertianum pedunculis bifloris, calycibus pilofis decemangulatis. Unmet Syjl. Vegetal, p. 



515. FL Sueclc, 241. n. 619. 

 GERANIUM foliis duplicato pinnatis, pinnis ultimis confluentibus, calycibus fViatis, hirfutis. Halkr 



hifl. n. 943. 

 GERANIUM robertianum. Scopoll FL CarnloL n. 845. Hudfon FL AngL p. 264. 

 GERANIUM robertianum primum. Bauhln. Fin. 319. 

 GERANIUM robertianum. Gerard, emac. 939. 

 GERANIUM robertianum vulgare. Parklnfon 710. Rati Syn. p. 358. 



RADIX annua, fufca, fibris ramofis praelongis inftructa. ? 



r 

 t 



CAULES plures, difFufi, ramofi, fanguinei ut ut tota ? 



planta haud infrequenter, geniculis tumidis, | 



piioli, praefertim in junioribus plantis. % 



t 



FOLIA oppofita, pilofa, prascipue in umbrofis, unum- | 



quodque folium e tribus foliolis pinnatifidis bail f 



confluentibus componitur, foliolo medio longius * 



pedicellato, laciniis fpinula rubra terminatis. * 



STIPUL/E ad fingulum geniculum quatuor, utrinque 



bin as. 

 PEDUNCULI biflori. 

 CALYX: Perianthium decemangulatum, perfiftens, 



foliolis ovato-lanceolatis, nervofis, hirfutis, 



mucronatis, Jig. 1, 2. 

 COROLLA : Petala quinque rofea, patentia, aequa- 



lia, lamina fubcordata, unguis linearis, medio 



prominulo fulcato in tres nervos albidos divari- 



cante. fig. 3. 

 STAMINA: Filamenta decern fertilia, fubulata, 



plana, alba, bafi cohaerentia ; Antherje pur- 



purafcentes, pollinefiavo repletas, fig. 4, audi: 5. 



ISTILLUM : Germen quinquangulare ; Stylus fubu- | 

 latus, villofus; Stigmata quinque, rubra, •% 

 paululum reflexa, fig. 6. 

 SEMINA quinque Arillata, laevia, ovata, fufca ad unum | 

 latus compreffa, fig. 9 ; Arillus rugofus, % 

 fig. j, 8. t 



ROOT annual, brown, furnifhed with long branched 

 fibres. 



STALKS feveral, fpreading, branched, of a blood-red 

 colour, as is frequently the whole plant, (the 

 joints tumid,) hairy, particularly in the young 

 plants. 



LEAVES oppofite, hairy efpecially when growing in 

 the made, each compofed of three pinnatifid 

 leaves, uniting at the bafe, the middle leaf 

 Handing on the longeft foot-ftalk, the lacinias 

 or jags of the leaf terminated by a fmall red 

 fpine. 



STIPULiE four at each joint, two on each fide of it. 



PEDUNCLES biflorous. 



CALYX: a Perianthium having ten angles, and con- 

 tinuing, the leaves ovato-lanceolate, nervous, 

 hairy, terminating in a point, fig. 1, 2. 



COROLLA: five rofe-coloured Petals, fpreading and 

 equal, the lamina fomevvhat heart-fhaped, the 

 claw linear, the middle part of it prominent, 

 grooved, and fpreading into three whitifh nerves. 



STAMINA: ten fertile Filaments, tapering, flat, 

 white, connected at bottom; Antherje pur- 

 plifh, filled with a yellow Pollen, fig. 4, mag- 

 nified, fig. 5. 



PISTILLUM : Germen having five angles ; Style 

 tapering, villous; Stigmata five, red, a little 

 turned back, fig. 6. 



SEEDS five, contained within an Arillus, fmooth, oval, 

 brown, flattened on one fide, fig, 9; the A- 

 rillus wrinkled,^. 7, 8. 



Although our Englifh Geraniums cannot boaft that grandeur and variety of fplendid colours fo confpicuous 

 in many of the foreign ones, yet feveral of them are fufficiently beautiful to be entitled to a place in the- 

 gardens of the curious, particularly the Bloody Cranes-bill, (Geranium Sangulneum ;) the Crowfoot Cranes-bill, (Ge- 

 ranium Pratenfie ;) the Perennial Doves-foot Cranes-bill, (Geranium Perenne of Hudfon,) and the Herb Robert which we 

 have now defcribed * the latter of thefe grows naturally in woods, but more particularly under the hedges which fur- 

 round woods ; it likewife is frequently found in old hollow trees, and not uncommonly on the roofs of houfes not 

 much expofed to the fun : it is an annual plant ; the feeds fow themfelves in Autumn, foon after the young plants 

 come up ; flower the enfuing fpring, and continue to bloflbm the whole Summer long, if the plant grows in the 

 made : towards the latter end of the year, both ftalks and leaves become of a deep red or blood colour. 



The whole plant has a difagreeable fmell when bruifed, by which it will be difb'nguimed from our other fpecies. 

 It appears to grow all over Europe, and as a proof of its being full more univerfal, Linn.eus mentions its growing in 

 Arabia fcehx. 



A variety with a white flower now and then ocurrs. 



If credit may be given to writers on the Materia Medlca, it is a plant of confiderable efficacy in medicine, particu- 

 larly as an Aftringent, hence it is recommended in all kinds of Hemorrhages ; and thofe who have the management 

 of cattle, arefaid to give them an infufion of this plant when they make bloody urine. — Has not this practice originated 

 from the doclrine of fignatures ? It is alfo celebrated as a vulnerary in fchrophulous, cancerous and putrid Ulcers, 

 to which either the juice is applied, or the parts fomented with a decoction of the herb ; as likewife in Contufions, 

 diflblving the extravafated blood when applied in the form of a Cataplafm ; and laftly it is faid to be exhibited with 

 good fuccefs in the Stone and Gravel. — How far it merits thefe encomiums future experiments rauft determine. 



The herb bruifed and applied to places infefled with Bugs, is faid by Linn-eus to drive them away. 



