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GERANIACEAE

GERANIUM FAMILY

Annual, perennial herb, or ± woody, generally hairy
Leaves simple to compound, basal and cauline; cauline alternate or opposite, stipules present
Inflorescence: cyme or umbel
Flower bisexual, radial or ± bilateral; sepals 5, free, overlapping in bud; petals 5, free, with nectar glands at base; stamens generally 5 or 10; staminodes scale-like or 0; pistil 5-lobed, chambers 5, placentas axile, styles 5, fused to axis, columnar in fruit, stigmas atop axis 5, free
Fruit: segments 5, dry, 1–2-seeded, separating from each other and then from column; fruit body dehiscent on 1 side or not; part of style persistent atop ovary and separating with it, curved to tightly coiled when dry
Genera in family: 14 genera, ± 750 species: temp, ± tropical. Some cultivated for ornamental, perfume oils
Reference: [Robertson 1972 J Arnold Arbor 53:182–201]
Family description, key to genera by M.S. Taylor.

GERANIUM

CRANESBILL, GERANIUM

Mary Susan Taylor

Annual, perennial herb
Leaves palmately lobed or divided; upper alternate or opposite; blade generally round in outline, base generally cordate, ± hairy
Inflorescence: cyme; flowers (1)2
Flower: sepals awned or not; stamens 10, outer 5 opposite petals, inner 5 alternate petals
Fruit: body dehiscent, generally ovoid, 1–2-seeded, base rounded; style column narrowed at top below free stigmas, forming a beak in fruit; part of style persistent to fruit body glabrous to puberulent on side facing column
Species in genus: 250–300 species: temp, tropical mtns
Etymology: (Greek: crane, from beak-like fruit)
Reference: [Jones & Jones 1943 Rhodora 45:5–26;32–53]
Some ornamental, cultivated for oils. Native per (especially G. californicum, G. richardsonii ) vary regionally, are often difficult to separate, need further study.

Native

G. oreganum Howell

Perennial
Stem ascending to erect, 4–8 dm, glabrous to soft-hairy, glandular above
Leaves: lower 1–4 dm; blade 6–15 cm wide, divided into 5–7 ± oblanceolate segments, upper 3/4 of segments lobed
Flower: pedicels 2–5 cm; sepals 7–12 mm, short-awned; petals 15–20 mm, ± obtuse, red-purple
Fruit: body 6–8 mm, minutely bristly, sometimes glandular; style column 3–5 cm, beak 3–4 mm
Seed pitted
Ecology: Moist, generally shaded sites, meadows, forest
Elevation: 700–1800 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges, Outer North Coast Ranges
Distribution outside California: to Washington

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