THE CRANE’S-BILL FAMILY 
59 
shorter and rarely without anthers ; carpels 5, uniting into a 5-cellea seedcase (ovary), 5 styles 
more or less united into a column which is surmounted by the 5 spreading stigmas. Fruit a beaked 
capsule consisting of 5 1 -seeded cells which are attached to a central axis, from which each 
separates from the base, elastically, rolling upwards and so jerking the seeds to a considerable 
distance. Herbs with swollen nodes and opposite leaves, lobed or divided to the base 
(palmatifid or palmate). 
Bloody Crane’s Bill. (Geranium sang-uineum, Linn.)— As just described. The flowers 
large, i-i| inches across, deep crimson, solitary on long stalks, with abruptly pointed sepals and 
slightly notched petals ; the stem 1-2 feet high, thick, and woody ; the leaves all round, stalked and 
deeply lobed to the base into 5 or 7 broad segments which are 3-cleft (palmatifid). \Plate 30. 
Not common. Dry woods and pastures. July — August. Perennial. 
A variety of this species ((v. lancastriense, With.), with white or flesh-coloured flowers 
veined with red, has been found on the seashore at Walney Island, Lancashire. 
*Geranium striatum, Linn. An escape from cultivation, with rather large, pale flowers 
veined with red, 2 together, and long hairs on the stems. 
* Knotty Crane’s-bill. (Geranium nodosum, Linn.) — An escape from cultivation, 
similar to the last species but with reddish-purple flowers and smooth stems. 
*Dusky Crane’s-bill. (Geranium phaeum, Linn.) — Another escape from cultivation, 
with dull purplish-black flowers, entire petals and leaves only slightly lobed towards the base. 
Not a native. Found in plantations. May — July. Perennial. 
Wood Crane’s-bill. (Geranium sylvatieum, Linn.) — Flowers 1 inch across, purplish, 
2 together on numerous short flower-stalks forming a rather dense cluster (dichotomous cyme) ; 
the sepals ending in an abrupt point, and the petals slightly notched ; the fruit erect. [As 
described in the genus Geranium.] The stem 1-2 feet high, erect ; the leaves of the root 
(radical) on long stalks, lobed almost to the base (palmately) into 7 or 9 segments, all coarsely 
cut or serrated, and those of the stem nearly stalkless and lobed into 3 or 5 similar segments. 
Not common. Woods, hilly pastures. June — July. Perennial. 
Meadow Crane’s-bill. (Geranium pratense, Linn.)— The largest British Crane’s-bill, 
very similar to the Wood Crane’s-bill (Geranium sylvatieum), but with larger flowers, i j- 1 ^ inches 
across, bluish-purple, the stalk bent downwards after flowering, each sepal ending in a long abrupt 
point (mucronate), the stem 1-4 feet high, much branched at the top, and the leaves with 
narrower lobes, which are more deeply cut. [ Plate 30. 
Common. Moist meadows and riversides. June — September. Perennial. 
Mountain Crane’s-bill. (Geranium pyrenaieum, Burm. fil.)— Flowers £-f inch 
across, red, 2 together on slender flower-stems, the sepals ending in an abrupt point (mucronate), 
the petals notched ; the fruit bent downwards. [As described in the genus Geranium.] 
The stems 6 inches to 2 feet high, with spreading white hairs, and the leaves round, deeply lobed 
towards the base into 5 or 7 lobes, which are 3-cleft into broad, blunt lobes. 
Not common. Meadows and waysides. June — August. Perennial. 
Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill. (Geranium molle, Linn.) — Flowers smaller than in any of 
the preceding species, inch across, rose or lilac, 2 together, the sepals hardly pointed, the 
petals deeply notched, scarcely longer than the sepals; the fruit wrinkled and erect. [As 
described in the genus Geranium.] The stems 8-12 inches long, with long soft hair; the 
leaves round, those of the root (radical) lobed half-way towards the base into 7-9 broad, cut 
lobes, and those of the stem with 5 deeper and narrower lobes. 
Very common. Meadows, banks, hedgerows, waste places. April — August. Annual. 
