6o WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Small-flowered Crane’s-bill. (Geranium pusillum, Linn.)— A very similar species to 
the Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle), but smaller; the flowers smaller and paler, the 
sepals ending in a fine point ; the stamens io, of which usually only 5 have anthers ; the fruit hairy, 
not wrinkled; the stem 6-12 inches long, prostrate, less hairy; and the leaves small, roundish, 
and more deeply lobed. 
Common. Waste ground. June — September. Annual. 
Round-leaved Crane’s-bill. (Geranium rotundifolium, Linn.)— Also a very similar 
species to the Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle), differing in having flesh-coloured flowers 
with entire petals, and slightly pointed sepals ; in the fruit being hairy and not wrinkled ; and in the 
round leaves being very slightly lobed and of a pale whitish-green colour. 
Rare. Hedge-banks and waste places in central and southern England. June — July. Annual. 
Jagged-leaved Crane’s-bill. (Geranium disseetum, Linn.)— Flowers inch 
across, bright red, 2 together, the sepals with distinct, abrupt points (mucronate), the petals deeply 
notched, about as long as the sepals; the fruit hairy and not wrinkled ; the stems 1-2 feet high, 
more erect, spreading and hairy, and the leaves roundish, and divided almost to the base into 5-7 
narrow segments, which are 3-cleft. 
Very common. Waste places, waysides. May — August. Annual. 
Longr-stalked Crane’s-bill. (Geranium eolumbinum, Linn.)— A very similar species 
to the Jagged-leaved Crane’s-bill (Geranium disseetum), but with fewer and larger flowers, £— £ inch 
across, of a bluish rose-colour, the sepals with slender points, the petals entire or slightly notched ; 
the fruit smooth, or with a few hairs, not wrinkled ; and the deeply divided leaves with narrower 
segments. 
Local, not uncommon. Thickets, w'aste places, especially on chalky soil. June — August- 
Annual or Biennial. 
Shining: Crane’s-bill. (Geranium lucidum, Linn.)— Flowers small, £-§ inch across, 
rose-colour, 2 together, the sepals with long points, the petals entire ; the fruit smooth and 
wrinkled. [As described in the genus Geranium.] The stems 6-18 inches long, prostrate, brittle, 
juicy, shining, tinged with red ; and the leaves round, shining, fleshy, tinged with red, lobed towards 
the base into 5-7 broad, notched segments. [Plate 30. 
Not uncommon, rather local. Rocky places, stone walls. May — September. Annual. 
Herb Robert. (Geranium Robertianum, Linn.)— Flowers £-£ inch across, bright pink, 
veined, rarely white, 2 together, the sepals with long points, hairy, the petals entire, longer than the 
sepals ; the fruit smooth and wrinkled. [As described in the genus Geranium.] The stem 
1-2 feet high, hairy, erect or spreading, frequently red ; and the leaves divided to the base into 3 
(palmate) segments, which in their turn are divided to the midrib into several deeply toothed lobes 
(pinnatifid). The whole plant has a disagreeable smell when bruised, and often becomes a 
beautiful red in the autumn. [Plate 30. 
Very common. Waste places, hedgerows. May — September. Annual. 
STORK’S-BILL. (ERODIUM, L’HERIT.)— A very similar genus to the Geranium (5 sepals, 
5 petals, 10 stamens, 5 carpels, beaked capsule), differing from it in there being usually 
more than 2 flowers growing from the same point on the flower-stem (in umbels) ; in 5 of the 
stamens having anthers and 5 not ; in the beaks of the 5 cells of the capsule being clothed with 
long hairs on the inner side and being spirally twisted after they have thrown out their seeds, and 
in the leaves, which always have stipules at the base, being always lobed or divided into distinct 
leaflets towards the midrib (pinnatifid or pinnate). 
