GERANIACEJ]. 159 



Leaves radical, with three entire leaflets. Receptacle or axis 



not beaked. Carpels with several seeds 3. Oxaijs. 



Flowers very irregular, spurred. Leaves alternate. Capsule 



with several seeds 4. Balsam. 



The Cape Pelargoniums, so frequent in our greenhouses, belong to 

 the Geranium family. The South American Tropceolums, including 

 the common Nasturtium of our gardeners, are very nearly allied to 

 Pelargonium, although some botanists now propose to remove them 

 far away from the family. 



I. GERANIUM. GERANIUM. 



Herbs, with forked stems often swollen at the nodes, opposite, pal- 

 mately-divided leaves, and purplish flowers, solitary or two together, on 

 axillary peduncles. Stamens 10, of which 5 shorter, but generally with 

 anthers. Ovary 5-lobed, terminating in a long beak with 5 short 

 stigmas on the top, the lobes being all whorled round the long-beaked 

 receptacle. Capsule separating into 5 one-seeded carpels, which curl 

 upwards, with a long elastic awn, detached from the beak, and glabrous 

 inside. 



A genus spread over the northern hemisphere, with a few species in 

 the southern, but always without the tropics. It is easily distinguished 

 from all but Mrodium by the long beak of the fruit, which has given to 

 the two genera Geranium and Er odium the popular name of Crane s- 

 bill. 

 Rootstock perennial. Flowers usually large. 



Peduncles 1 -flowered 1. Blood G. 



Peduncles with 2 (rarely 3) flowers. 



Petals deeply notched. (Flowers not so large) . . 5. Mountain G. 

 Petals entire or slightly notched. 



Petals dark-purple, very spreading or almost re- 

 flexed. Points of the sepals very short . . 2. DusJcy G. 

 Petals bluish-purple. Sepals with long fine points. 

 Pedicels of the fruit erect. Flowers numerous, 



corymbose 3. Wood 67. 



Pedicels of the fruit spreading or reflexed. 



Flowers in a loose panicle 4. Meadoiv G. 



Annuals, with small flowers. 



Leaves of 3 distinct segments, which are pinnately cut 



or divided 6. Herb- Robert G. 



Leaves palmately cut or divided into 5 or more lobes 

 or segments. 

 Calyx pyramidal, w T ith projecting angles. Petals 



entire, much longer than the sepals 7. Shining G. 



Calyx scarcely angular. Petals about as long, unless 

 deeply notched. 



