Geranium molle. Common Doves-footCranes-bill. 
GERANIUM Um Gen. PL Monadelphia Decantoia. 
Monogyna. Stigmat. 5. FruHus roftratus, j-coccus. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 24. Hemjs pentapetalje vascdlipeea!. 
GERANIUM molle pedunculis bifloris, foliifque floralibus alternis, petalis bifidis, calycibus muticis, 
caule erefliufculo. Limati Syjl. Vegetab. p. s 15. Sp. Pl. p. 955. K Suecic. p. 577. 
GERANIUM foliis molliffimis, hirfiltis, reniformibus, femiquinquefidis, lobis femitripartitis, obtufis. 
Haller hifi. n. 939. 
GERANIUM molle. Scopoli FI. Carniol. an noftra planta ? 
GERANIUM columbinum villofum, petalis bifidis purpureis. Valli Paris. 79. t. 15. fig- 3. 
GERANIUM columbinum. Ger. emac. 938. 
GERANIUM columbinum vulgare. Parkinfon 706. Rail Syn. p. 3 5 9, Doves- foot, orDoves-foot-Cranes-bill, 
GERANIUM folio malvae rotundo. Bauhin. Pin. 318. 
Hudfon FI. Angi. p. 265. 
Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 370. 
RADIX annua, fufiformis, fimplex. 
CAULES plures, utplurimum procumbentes, teretes, 
rubicundi, dodrantales aut pedales, villofi, 
ramofi. 
FOLIA radicalia petiolis longis, teretibus, villofis, m- 
fidentia, fubrotunda, villofa, fubtus venofa, 
feptemfida, laciniis incifis, caulina alterna xn 
lacinias pauciores, anguftiores et acutiores 
divifa. 
$ ROOT annual, tapering, and fimple. 
L STALKS feveral, procumbent, round, of a reddifh 
: : colour, from nine inches to a foot in length, 
; ; villous, and branched, 
; ; LEAVES : thofe next the root fitting on long, round, 
; ; villous foot-ftalks, of a roundifh form, hoary, 
:: and veiny underneath, deeply divided into 
; ; feven fegments, which are jagged : the leaves 
: on the ftalk alternate, divided into fewer 
fegments, which are narrower and more poin- 
j I ted. 
STIPULAE ad fingula genicula quaterna, membrana- 
cea;, marefcentes. 
PEDUNCULI longitudine et forma petiolorum iifque 
oppofiti, bifidi, biflori : pedicelli pedunculo 
triplo fere breviores, ftipulis minoribus ad 
bafin cindtis, ad lentem fubvifcofis. 
STIPULAE four at each joint, membranous, and wither- 
ing. 
FLOWER-STALK : general flower-ftalk the length 
and form of the leaf-ftalks, and growing op- 
pofite to them, bifid, and fupporting two 
flowers : partial flower-ftalks nearly three 
times fhorter than the general one, furround- 
ed at their bafe by fmaller ftipuhe, fome of 
the hairs on which appearing glandular if 
viewed with a glafs. 
CALYX : Peri anthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ovato- 
acutis, trinervibus, pilofis, insqualibus, brevi 
mucrone, rufo, non admodum acuto, termi- 
natis, fig. I . 
COROLLA: Petala quinque purpurea, obcordata, 
calyce paulo longiora, unguibus parvis, utrin- 
que ciliatis. 
CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves, oval, poin- 
ted, having three ribs, hairy, unequal, and 
terminated by a reddifh and fomewhat blunt 
point, fig. 1. 
COROLLA : five purple Petals, inverfely heart- 
fhaped, a little longer than the Calyx, the 
claws fmall, and edged on each fide with hairs. 
STAMINA: Filamenta decem, alba, aequalia, bafi | STAMINA: ten white Filaments, of an unequal 
lata, vix coalefcentia : Anthera: coeruleae, * length, broad at bottom, but not perceptibly 
jig. 2t I united : Antherje blue, fig. 2. 
PISTILLUM: Germen quinquangulare : Stylus I PISTILLUM: Germen five-cornered : Style taper- 
fubulatus, vifcofus : Stigmata quinque, | ing, with glandular hairs : Stigmata five, 
rubra, reflexa, fig. 3, 4. $ of a red colour, and turning back, fig. 3, 4- 
SEMINA quinque, ovata, glabra, fig. 5, 7, 8. Arillo | SEEDS five, oval and fmooth, fig. 5, 7, 8, covered 
rugofo teda, fig. 6. * with a wrinkled Arillus , fig. 6. 
THE Geranium molle is the moft common of all our Geraniums , and one of the earlieft in bloflom, beginning 
to blow in April, and continuing through the Summer. Its moft natural fituation is on a dry bank ; yet it 
very often is found in paftures, and under walls. If growing by itfelf, the ftalks are ufually procumbent ; 
among other plants it is often drawn upright. 
It varies very much in fize ; the flowers alfo vary much both in fize and colour. In the Lawn before 
Chelfea Hofpital , I have noticed this plant almoft as large as the pyrenaicum of Linnaeus. Its flowers are 
fometimes white, fometimes pale red, with many gradations of purple. 
It is moft likely to be miftaken for the rotundifolium and pyrenaicum , neither of which are common plants 
with us : in what refped it differs from thefe, we fliall mention when they come to be defcnbed. 
We may remark here, that the Arilli , or coverings of the feeds, fig. 6, are curioufly wrinkled ; but the feed* 
themfelves are perfectly fmooth. 
