Geraniacece.~\ 
THE COLONY OE VICTORIA. 
171 
or less elongated; those of the radical leaves very long. Leaves opposite, rarely the uppermost alternate, 
from g-6 inches long and broad, traversed by radiating and ramified nerves and divergent veins, more or 
less undulate, sometimes crisp, blunt at the apex, usually with a deep basal sinus. Stipules downy, measuring* 
usually from 1J-3 lines in length, persistent. Peduncles axillary, not opposite, .1-3 inches long, cylindrical, 
in various degrees downy. Leaflets of the involucre soft-downy, l±-2 lines long. Pedicels oftener shorter 
than longer than the flower, more or less downy. Flowers rather fragrant. Segments of the calyx, with 
exception of the upper one, during anthesis spreading or reflexed, lj-4 lines long, outside downy, inside 
almost glabrous, lanceolate ; the upper one and the two lower ones broader than the two lateral segments; 
all longitudinally three-nerved and after anthesis erect. Petals white or rose-colored, glabrous, from 2-6 
lines long; the lower ones only streaked by purple, violet or deep-red veins and narrow-unguiculate; the 
upper ones dendritic-veined and towards the centre often somewhat spotted, tapering into a more cuneate 
unguis. Lower of the fertile stamens nearly as long as the calyx, upper ones shorter. Filaments white 
or pink, bent somewhat downward, more or less curved. Anthers from J-l line long, ellipsoid, purple, 
with cordate base, glabrous, dorsifixed, soon versatile. Pollen-grains broad-ovate, smooth, orange-colored. 
Pistil 1J-4 lines long*, dark- or pale-red or whitish; the carpellar part downy; the style very thin and deci¬ 
duous; its stigmatic lobes from g—1J line long*, red, recurved. Carpels f-lj bne long*, laterally open, rarely 
two-seeded. Carpellar prolongations from nearly J-l inch long, linear-setaceous, inside villose by long white 
copious hygroscopic hair, above the middle short-downy, towards the base almost glabrous. Seed brown- 
black, opaque, nearly filling* the carpellar cavity. Radicle conical-subulate, appressed to the cotyledons, which 
are one-third longer than the radicle, lobeless, sessile and incumbent. 
This plant flourishes already as a seedling and has then the appearance of an annual plant. It is one 
of the most variable species amongst congeners singular for their variability. Thus the author has not 
even ventured to admit Pelargonium Rodneyanum (Mitch. Three Exped. ii. 144) as specifically distinct, a 
careful comparison of which revealing only such notes as seem to entitle it merely to the rank of a variety. 
The stem of P. Rodneyanum is usually short, sometimes almost obliterated, the root is often thicker and 
proportionately very large, the leaves are mostly rhomboid-ovate, the flowers are manifestly larger and of a 
deep rose-color, the sterile stamens and style longer, and the fruit, which is seldom developed, larger. It 
appears to be a variety, which adapts itself to clay pasture-land. Dr. J. Hooker is inclined to regard the 
Pelargonium from the isle of Tristan d’Acunlia and one of the South African species identical with ours. 
The P. clandestinum from New Zealand differs perhaps in dotted seeds. Specimens of the latter are in our 
herbarium not available for comparison. 
Supplemental Plate. 1, flower, without petals; 2, calyx; 3, posterior segment of calyx; 4, petals; 
5, stamens; 6, anthers; ?, pollen-grains; 8, pistil; 9, style, before expansion of the stigmatose lobes; 10, 
vertical section of ovary; II, ovules: all figures more or less magnified. 
In a luxuriant monstrosity five smaller additional petals occur; in another the petals are incised. 
ERODIUM. 
UHerit . Geran . tabul. —Heron’s-bill. 
Calyx devoid of a nectar tube. Petals 5, equal or almost equal. Stamens 10, towards the base 
monadelphous or almost free, biseriate. Filaments from a dilated base subulate ; the five petaline 
exterior filaments destitute of anthers ; the sepaline filaments provided at the base with an anterior 
gland. Ami-like prolongations of the carpels spirally seceding from the lengthened fruit-axis. 
Cotyledons nearly elliptical, concave-convex, more or less replicate on one side. 
Herbaceous, rarely suffruticose, usually downy plants, diffused through the temperate zones of 
both hemispheres, frequent in the mediterranean regions, sparingly to be found on high mountains 
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