GERANIUM MACULATUM. 
21 
Generic Character.—Sepals 5. Petals 5, regular, alternate with the sepals. 
Stamens 10, in two series, the five outer opposite to the petals, and shorter than 
the five interior, which are opposite the sepals, and have glands at the base. 
Pistil of 5 carpels, placed opposite to the petals ; styles ultimately separating from 
the 5-angular axis from below upwards, and becoming circinately revolute, 
smooth, or rarely slightly hairy on their inner surface. Herbs , or rarely some¬ 
what of a shrubby character.* 
Specific Character.—Rhizome perennial, horizontal, more or less branched, 
fleshy, and of a dark brownish-red, somewhat mottled with green, colour. From 
the rhizome a number of leaves arise, and one, two, or more, aerial stems. Aerial 
stems annual, erect, roundish or somewhat angular, densely clothed with hairs, 
which are more or less reflexed, dichotomous above, 1-2 feet high. Leaves pal¬ 
mate, with three, five, or seven lobes, the lobes themselves being again variously 
incised and toothed at their extremities ; the petioles and laminae more or less 
hairy. The leaves which arise from the rhizome are on long roundish or some¬ 
what angular petioles; those which spring from the aerial stem at the point 
where it forks are opposite, and with evident petioles ; and those which are in¬ 
serted on the upper part of the stem are either sessile or shortly petiolate. 
Stipules lanceolate, or linear-subulate. Peduncles usually 2-flowered, hairy, 
springing from the forks of the stems. Bracts subulate, or linear-lanceolate. 
Flowers on short hairy pedicels of unequal length, generally purple, rarely nearly 
white. Calyx of 5 elliptical or oval-lanceolate sepals ; sepals ribbed, more or less 
hairy on their outer surfaces, and smooth on their inner, distinctly awned or 
mucronate-awned ; the inner sepals are frequently, scarcely, if at all, hairy. 
Petals 5, obovate, entire, ciliated at the base, and marked with greenish veins. 
Stamens 10, in two rows of unequal length ; the larger stamens alternate with 
the petals, and furnished with greenish glands at their base ; filaments enlarged 
and monadelphous at base; anthers oblong, deciduous, purplish. Ovary ovate; 
styles as long as the filaments, united ; stigmas 5, erect at first, and afterwards 
reflexed. Fruit composed of five 1-seeded carpels, which curl upwards on the 
prolonged axis when ripe, and discharge their seeds.f 
Habitat. —This species has an extensive geographical range in North America, 
where it extends from Canada to the most southern States of America, and west 
to the Mississippi. It abounds most in low grounds, growing commonly in 
hedges, thickets, and borders of damp woods. It varies much in height, in the 
form and incision of its leaves, and in the colour of its flowers. These differ¬ 
ences undoubtedly depend upon variations of soil, climate, situation, etc. When 
growing in favourable situations, it is described as one of the most beautiful of 
the indigenous plants of the United States, and as well deserving of cultivation. J 
It flowers from April to June. 
Collection. —The only part of the plant which is commonly employed as a re¬ 
medial agent is the rhizome. This should be collected in the autumn months ; or 
early in the spring, before active vegetation has commenced. 
General Characteristics. —The part of Geranium maculatum which is 
employed in medicine and for other purposes, is generally designated as the root; 
but properly, as already noticed with regard to Podophyllum , Hydrastis , San- 
guinaria , Actcca, etc., it is the rhizome or underground stem, from which the 
true roots, which are here very small, and hence termed rootlets, arise below. 
In commercial specimens, these rootlets are commonly absent, although rhizomes 
with small attached rootlets may occasionally be found. 
The rhizome , as imported, is usually simple, although rarely it is somewhat 
* Lindley’s ‘Flora Medica,’ p. 221; Gray’s ‘Genera of the Plants of the United States* 
vol. ii. pp. 127,128; and De Candolle’s ‘ Prodromus,’ vol. i. p. 639. 
f Torrey and Gray’s ‘ Flora of North America,’ vol. i. p. 206; Lindley’s c Flora Medica, 
p. 221; and ‘ American Journal of Pharmacy,’ vol. iv. p. 90. 
X Amer. Journ. Pharm. vol. i. p. 170; and vol. iv. p. 90. 
