Geranium
(Geranion, the old Greek name used by Dioscorides, derived from geranos, a crane; referring to the long beak which terminates the carpels). Crane's Bill. ORD. Geraniaceoe. A genus containing a hundred species of hardy herbaceous plants, rarely shrubs, dispersed through the temperate regions of the whole world. Flowers equal; sepals and petals five, imbricate in bud; stamens ten, rarely five; inflorescence cymose. Leaves opposite or alternate, stipulate, dentately or palmately (rarely pinnately) lobed or dissected. The genus is represented in Britain by eleven species, some of which are thoroughly well worth growing as ornamental border plants. One of the commonest of them, the Dove's Foot, G. molle, is found almost everywhere in waste places and on dry lawns. Geraniums thrive in almost any common garden soil, but prefer a well-drained one. They are excellent subjects for growing on rockwork, banks, or borders. Propagated by divisions, or by seeds. The host of garden plants popularly known as Show, Fancy, Scarlet, Tricolor, &c., Geraniums, belong to the genus Pelargonium (which see). G. albanum (Albanian). fl. purple; petals emarginate; peduncles two-flowered, elongated, hispid, May. l. kidney-shaped, seven-lobed; lobes trifid; lobules three-toothed. Stem flaccid, simple. h. 1ft. Tauria, &c., 1820. SYN. G. cristatum.
G. anemonaefolium (Anemone-leaved).* fl. purplish-red, large; peduncles two-flowered, opposite, erect, smooth. May. l. smooth, palmately five-cleft, with bipinnatifidly-cleft segments, upper ones three-parted. Stem suffruticose. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Madeira, 1778. Half-hardy shrub. (B. M. 206.) G. argenteum(silvery).* fl. pale red, with darker stripes, large; petals emarginate; peduncles almost radical, two-flowered. June and July. l. all almost radical, on long petioles, hoary or silky on both surfaces, five to seven-parted, with trifid lobes and linear lobules. h. 3in. Northern Italy, 1699. An elegant alpine plant.
G. asphodeloides (Asphodel-like). fl. usually purplish-violet, few; petals obovate, often truncate, twice as long as the sharp-pointed downy sepals. Summer. l. five-lobed; lobes trifid; radical ones long-stalked, very downy. h. 6in. South Europe, 1828. (S. F. G. 661.) G. atlanticum (Atlantic).* fl. 1 1/2in. in diameter, in terminal, two-flowered, hairy peduncles; sepals elliptic, acuminate; petals pale purple, with red veins, obcordate, three or four times as long as the sepals. June. l. orbicular, cut nearly to the base into five or seven narrowly obovate or cuneate, trifid or pinnatifidly laciniated, and toothed segments. Stems 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high. Algiers, 1878. (B. M. 6452.) G. caffrum (Caffre). fl. in pairs, on long slender pedicels; petals pale lilac or white, obovate, emarginate at the apex, considerably exceeding the calyx. June. l. 1in. to 3in. broad, full green above, and clothed with minute adpressed hairs, paler below, cut down nearly or quite to the base into three to five divisions, with several acute, erecto-patent, irregular, deltoid or linear teeth. Stems often 1ft. or 2ft. long, and entangled, generally naked in the lower part, but clothed with short grey glandular pubescence upwards. h. 9in. South Africa, 1862. (Ref. B. 147.) G. cinereum (grey).* fl. pale red, with dark stripes; petals emarginate; peduncles almost radical, two-flowered. June. l. almost radical, stalked, clothed with glaucous pubescence, five to seven-parted, with wedge-shaped trifid lobes. h. 6in. Pyrenees, &c. Plant almost stemless. G. collinum (hill-loving). fl. purplish-violet; petals entire, roundish, hardly longer than the calyx. May. l. palmately five-parted, with somewhat trilobed lobes, deeply serrated; peduncles and calyces covered with clammy hairs. Stem angular, diffused, and somewhat decumbent, pubescent. Eastern Europe, &c., 1815.
G. cristatum (crested). A synonym of G. albanum.
G. dahuricum (Dahurian).* fl. purple; petals entire, much bearded at the base; peduncles two-flowered, three times longer than the leaves. June. l. opposite, three to five-parted, with cut, acute lobes. Stem erect, smooth, naked at the base. h. 1 1/2ft. Dahuria, 1820.
G. Endressii (Endress's).* fl. light rose, with darker veins; petals oblong-ovate, entire, fringed at base; filaments densely hairy; peduncles axillary, two-flowered. Summer. l. opposite, stalked, palmate; upper ones three-lobed, lower ones five-lobed; lobes acute, serrated. h. 1ft. Pyrenees. G. eriostemon (woolly-stamened). fl. pale violet, with white stamens, but purple towards the apex; petals entire, bearded at the base. June. l. five-lobed, with ovate deeply-toothed lobes; lower ones on long stalks, alternate; upper ones sessile, opposite. Stem slightly angled, forked, erect. h. 6in. to 3ft. Nepaul, 1822. (Sw. Ger. 197.) G. ibericum (Iberian).* fl. blue, large; petals obcordate, or somewhat trifid. Summer and autumn. l. five to seven-parted, with pinnately-cut lobes and toothed lobules, villous, dichotomous, erect. h. 1ft. Iberia, 1802. A very showy plant. (B. M. 1386.) G. i. platypetalum (broad-petaled). fl. deep violet, with red-dish streaks; more than 1in. in diameter; petals emarginate. Summer. l. alternate or opposite; lobes five to seven, deeply cut, fringed. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Georgia. G. Lamberti (lambert's).* fl. bright lilac, large; petals large, roundish-ovate, concave and veiny; filaments beset with white hairs. Summer and autumn. l. opposite, cordate, five-lobed, pilose on both surfaces, soft; lobes wedge-shaped, cut, toothed. Stem diffuse, branched, elongated. Nepaul, 1824. (Sw. Ger. 338.) G. lucidum (clear). fl. bright rose-coloured, small. May to August. l. roundish, five-lobed, shining. Stem spreading in every direction. h. 6in. to 12in. Europe (Britain), North Africa, Asia. Annual or biennial. (Sy. En. B. 304.) G. macrorhizon (large-rooted).* fl. deep red or bright purple; petals entire, a little reflexed; calyces globose, inflated. May to July. l. smooth, five-parted, with the lobes toothed at the apex. Stem suffruticose at the base, dichotomous at the apex. h. 1ft. South Europe, 1576. (B. M. 2420.) G. maculatum (spotted).* fl. pale lilac, varying in size; petals obovate, entire Summer. l. three to five-parted, with deeply-toothed lobes; radical ones on long stalks; upper ones opposite, sessile. Stem rather angular, erect, dichotomous, pubescent h. 1 1/2ft. North America, 1732. (B. M. Pl. 42.) G. ornithopodum (bird's-foot). fl. in pairs, on densely downy, drooping, slender pedicels; petals white, and veined with red. l. roundish in general outline, downy principally on the lower face, palmately five-lobed, usually at least half-way down, with pinnatifid divisions. Stems densely clothed with soft, short, decurved, whitish hairs. h. 4ft. to 5ft. Cape Colony, 1872. A diffusely-branched half-hardy perennial herb. (Ref. B. 290.) G. phaeum (dusky).* fl. dark brown, almost black, with a white spot at the base of each petal; petals spreading and entire. May and June. l. five to nine-lobed, deeply toothed; upper ones sessile. Stem round, forked. Central and Western Europe; naturalised in Britain. (Sy. En. B. 294.) G. pratense (meadow).* fl. blue, large; petals entire; peduncles somewhat corymbose. Summer. l. seven-parted, with sharply-pinnatifid and deeply serrated, linear lobes. Stem round, erect, downy. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Europe (Britain), Siberia. (Sy. En. B. 297.) There is a double-flowered form of this species, which makes an excellent border plant.
G. Robertianum. Herb-Robert. fl. bright crimson, small; petals entire. Summer and autumn. l. three to five-parted, with trifid pinnatifid lobes. h. 6in. to 9in. Europe (Britain), Asia, North Africa. (Sy. En. B. 305.) G. R. alba (white). A white-flowered form, well worthy of a place on the rockery or in the herbaceous border.
G. sanguineum (bloody).* fl. crimson or blood-red, large, about 1 1/2in. across; petals notched; peduncles one-flowered, axillary, much longer than the petioles. Summer. l. opposite, five to seven-parted, with trifid lobes and linear lobules. Stems erect or diffuse, branched. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Europe (Britain), West Asia. A very handsome species. (Sy. En. B. 293.) G. s. lancastriense (Lancaster). fl. flesh-coloured, with purple veins, large. G. striatum (streaked).* fl. pink, elegantly striped with darker veins; petals emarginately two-lobed. May to October. l., lower ones five-lobed, upper ones three-lobed; the lobes ovate, acute, deeply toothed. Stem round, decumbent. South Europe, 1629. (B. M. 55.) G. sylvaticum (wood).* fl. purple or blue, with crimson veins; petals somewhat emarginate; peduncles rather corymbose. June and July. l. five to seven-lobed; lobes oblong, deeply toothed. Stem round, erect. h. 2ft. Europe (Britain), Siberia, West Asia. (Sy. En. B. 296.) G. tuberosum (tuberose). fl. purple, large, numerous, elegant; petals bifid. May. l. many-parted; lobes linear, pinnatifid, serrated. Stem, from the base to the fork, naked. h. 9in. South Europe, &c., 1596. (Sw. Ger. 155.) G. Wallichianum (Wallich's).* fl. purple, large; petals emarginate. June. l. five-parted, with broadly cuneate-ovate, deeply toothed lobes, clothed on both surfaces, as well as the stem, with silky hairs. Stem decumbent, purple. Temperate Himalya, 1820. (B. M. 2377.)