168 



THE GERANIUM FAMILY. 



In dry pastures, on banks and waste 

 places, widely spread over Europe and 

 Russian Asia, except the extreme north. 

 Not so common as the cut-leaved G. in 

 Britain, and very local in Scotland. FL 

 spring and summer. 



II. ERODIUM. EBODIUM. 



Prostrate or decumbent herbs, differing from Geranium in the di- 

 visions or nerves of the leaves being pinnate, not palmate ; in the 

 stamens always reduced to 5, the 5 alternate ones being rudimentary 

 only ; in the awns of the carpels bearded with a few long hairs on the 

 inside, and spirally twisted after they are detached from the axis. The 

 flowers are also frequently more than two together, in an umbel on 

 the summit of the peduncle. 



The geographical range is nearly that of Geranium, in which genus 

 it was included by Linnaeus. But the greater number of the species 

 are maritime plants from the Mediterranean regions, or roadside weeds, 

 with flowers so insignificant, that but few have ever been cultivated. 



Leaves pinnate, with, distinct segments. 



Segments deeply pinnatifid, with toothed lobes. 



Flowers of a reddish purple. ..... 1. Common JS. 



Segments ovate, coarsely toothed or shortly lobed. 



Flowers of a bluish purple 2. Musk E. 



Leaves toothed or lobed, but not divided into dis- 

 tinct segments. 



Leaves ovate 3. Sea B. 



Leaves palmately lobed Small-flowered Geranium. 



