WESTERN CRANESBILL 



Geranium viscosissimum Fisher and Meyer 



Western cranesbill is a more robust plant than its relative, the 

 wild geranium, which is so common in the Eastern woods in spring. 

 The flowers are borne on sturdy stems well above the beautiful clus- 

 ter of rich green leaves, making the plant almost a bouquet in itself 

 The name cranesbill comes from the resemblance of the seed pod to 

 the bill of a crane. 



Western cranesbill belongs to the Geranium Family. It is found 

 from Colorado and California northward to South Dakota, Alberta, 

 and British Columbia. 



We gathered the flowers in a beautiful meadow, a day and a half 

 by trail northeast of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, at an altitude of 

 5,000 feet. 



PLATE 307 



