BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
91 
from the abundance of its purplish-red flowers and the delicacy of its foliage, which is too abundant in many of 
the other species. It has a creeping stem, knotted at the joints, and sending up erect shoots, crowned with 
flowers. 
THE WOOD CRANE’S-BILL. (G. sylvaticum, Lin.) 
This is a very handsome species, closely resembling the Meadow Crane’s-Bill, but with smaller flowers. 
THE SHINING CRANE’S-BILL. (G. lucidum, Lin.) 
This is a very pretty little plant, with shining green leaves, edged with crimson, and bright red stems. The 
flowers are of a bright rose-colour, but they are very small. The plant is an annual, and it continues flowering 
all the summer. 
There are several other annual species closely allied to the above, but with much smaller flowers. 
GENUS II. 
THE HERON’S-BILL. (Erodium, VHerit.) 
Lin. Syst. MONADELPHIA PENTANDRIA. 
Generic Character. —Sepals 5, equal, not extended into a nec¬ 
tariferous tube. Petals 5, regular, or irregular. Stamens 10, mona- 
delphous, of ■which five are sterile. Glands at the base of the sterile 
stamens. Indurated styles bearded internally, twisted spirally when 
ripe. Herbaceous plants or under-shrubs, with lobed leaves, and 
peduncles usually bearing several flowers. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —There are only three species in this genus which are natives of Great Britain, and of 
these the only two that are common are annuals. The genus is placed in the Linnasan class Monadelpliia, on 
account of the adhesion of the filaments of the stamens ; and in the order Pentandria, because only five of them 
are fertile. The name, Erodium, signifies Ileron’s-Bill. 
1.—THE HEMLOCK-LEAVED HERON’S-BILL. (Erodium cicutarium, Smith.) 
Synonymes. —Geranium cicutarium, Lin. ; Wild Geranium. flowered. Leaves pinnate ; leaflets simple, pinnatifid, cut. Stamens 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1768 ; 2nd ed., t. 962. simple. (Smith.) 
Specific Character. —Stems procumbent, hairy. Stalks many- 
Description, &c. —This very common little plant is found in great abundance by the road-side, and on 
waste places in every part of England where the soil is dry, and either sandy or gravelly. Its shoots are 
generally procumbent; but, in sheltered situations, they sometimes rise to the height of a foot or eighteen 
inches. The flowers are pinkish, but they vary in colour considerably; and sometimes they are nearly white 
and spotted at the base. The plant is an annual, and continues flowering nearly all the summer. 
2.—THE MUSK-SCENTED HERON’S-BILL. (Erodium moschatum, Smith.) 
Synonymes. —Geranium moschatum, Lin. ; the Musk-scented i Specific Character. — Stems depressed, hairy. Stalks many- 
Wild Geranium. flowered. Leaves pinnate ; leaflets nearly sessile, elliptical, unequally 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 902 ; 2nd ed., t. 963. cut. Perfect stamens toothed at the base. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This species so closely resembles the last, that it would be difficult to distinguish 
between them if it were not for the strong smell of musk which is discoverable in the present plant the moment 
it is touched. It likewise only occurs in elevated ground, where the soil is dry and somewhat sandy. It is an 
annual plant, and it flowers all the summer. 
