62 
PELARGONIUM optabile. 
Desirable Stork's-bill. 
P. optabile , pedunculis 2-3-florisve, foil is cordatis quin- 
quelobis inciso-dentatis scabris, caule ramoso, sti- 
pulis acuminatis, calycibus reflexis longitudine tubi 
nectariferi. 
Pelargonium optabile. Hortulanorum. Nobis in Col- 
vills Catalogue, p. 22. col, 1. 
Stem shrubby, very much branched. Branches 
spreading, flexuose, thickly covered with soft unequal 
hairs. Leaves rough, cordate, 5-lobed, sharply and 
unequally toothed, slightly ciliate, of a pale green co¬ 
lour ; teeth very large on the upper part of the lobes, 
and very small on the lower. Petioles flattened and 
furrowed on the upper side, convex below, widened 
at the upper part, and covered with soft hairs. Stipules 
small, cordate, taper-pointed, soon withering and turn¬ 
ing brown. Peduncles 2 to 3-flowered, hairy. In¬ 
volucre generally of 6 bractes, bractes lanceolate, acu¬ 
minate, very hairy, soon withering and falling off. 
Pedicles bent, a little flattened, about the length of the 
nectariferous tube. Calyx 5-cleft, segments lanceo¬ 
late, acute, reflex. Nectariferous tube flattened on 
both sides, very hairy, about the length of the calyx. 
Corolla of 5 petals, 2 uppermost obovate, white tinged 
with blush, with a large bright crimson spot in the 
centre, that joins numerous dark purple stripes, from 
the base, which branch in various directions; lower 
petals broadly spatulate, white. Filaments 10, united 
at the base, 7 bearing anthers. Pollen orange-coloured. 
Capsule and aristae hairy. Style dark red, very hairy. 
Stigmas 5, reflexed. 
