PELARGONIUM imperiale. 
Imperial Stork's-bill. 
P. imperiale , foliis cordato-reniformibus rotundatis sub- 
quinquelobis undulatis acute dentatis pilosis, stipulis 
ovatis acutis, umbellis plurifloris, petalis maximis omni¬ 
bus obovatis calyce triplo longioribus, tubo nectarifero 
calyce subaequali. 
A strong growing upright frutescent plant: branches 
erect, thickly clothed with unequal spreading villous hairs, 
as are the petioles, peduncles, calyx, and nectariferous tube. 
Leaves large, broader than long, cordately reniform, round¬ 
ed at the point, slightly 5-lobed, undulate, sharply toothed 
with smallish teeth, clothed with small hairs on both sides, 
fringed; upper leaves deeper lobed, and the teeth larger. 
Petioles stout, much flattened and furrowed on the upper 
side, and convex on the lower. Stipules broadly ovate, 
acute, villous. Peduncles cylindrical. Involucre of 6 or 7 
broadly ovate or cordate, short, acute, villous bractes. Um¬ 
bels several-flowered. Pedicles longer than the bractes. 
Calyx 5-cleft, of a purplish brown, the laciniae broadly lan¬ 
ceolate, acute, upper one broadest, erect, the others reflexed. 
Nectariferous tube broad and flat, gibbous at the base, 
about the length of the calyx. Petals 5, very large, all obo- 
vate, about three times the length of the calyx : upper ones 
broadest, unequal sided, of a dark red, inclining to crimson, 
with a dark velvet patch in the centre, and a white mark 
below it; between the dark mark and the base are nume¬ 
rous strong dark lines, which are elegantly branched: lower 
petals lighter, marked with strong red branching veins. Fila¬ 
ments 10, united at the base, 7 bearing anthers: pollen 
orange-coloured. Style hairy at the base, and smooth up¬ 
wards. Stigmas 5, purple, reflexed. 
vol. iv. s 
