Jepson Herbarium
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University of California, Berkeley
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Vascular Plants of California
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Geranium californicum


Higher Taxonomy
Family: GeraniaceaeView DescriptionDichotomous Key
Common Name: GERANIUM FAMILY
Habit: Annual, perennial herb, or +- woody, generally glandular-hairy. Leaf: simple to compound, basal and cauline; cauline alternate or opposite, stipules 2, +- on stem. Inflorescence: cyme or pseudo-umbel or 1--2-flowered. Flower: bisexual [unisexual], radial or +- bilateral; sepals 5, free, overlapping in bud; petals generally 5, free, generally with nectar glands at base; stamens generally 5,10[15]; staminodes scale-like or 0; ovary generally 5-lobed, upper part elongating into beak in fruit, chambers 5, placentas axile, style 1, stigmas 5, free, persistent in fruit. Fruit: septicidal [loculicidal], mericarps 5, dry, generally 1-seeded, each persistent on 1 of 5 linear segments of beak that separate from central column by curving or coiling upward.
Genera In Family: 6 genera, 709 species: temperate, +- tropics. Some cultivated for ornament, perfume oils.
eFlora Treatment Author: Carlos Aedo, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.
Genus: GeraniumView DescriptionDichotomous Key


Common Name: CRANESBILL, GERANIUM
Habit: Annual, perennial herb, often +- glandular, especially above. Stem: generally 1--4 mm wide in lower 1/2. Leaf: palmately lobed to divided, +- hairy; segments generally palmately lobed and/or toothed; upper alternate or opposite; blade generally round in outline, base generally cordate. Inflorescence: (1)2-flowered. Flower: radial (+- bilateral); sepals +- awned to mucronate; stamens 10, outer 5 opposite petals (lacking anthers in G. pusillum), inner 5 alternate petals, nectary glands 5, alternate petals. Fruit: mericarp generally ovoid, dehiscent, 1-seeded; basal callus generally present, often with long bristles.
Etymology: (Greek: crane, from fruit beak) Note: Geranium yeoi Aedo & Muñoz Garm., native to Atlantic island of Madeira, with petals (14.9)16.2--19.3(20.7) mm and stamen filaments (8.7)9.6--11.3(12.8) mm -- longer than in similar G. robertianum -- documented in NCo of Del Norte Co. (Zika 2009 Madroño 56:130).
eFlora Treatment Author: Carlos Aedo
Reference: [Aedo 2001 Anales Jard Bot Madrid 59:3--65; Aedo et al. 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:594--630]
Unabridged Reference: [Aedo 2000--2001 Anales Jard Bot Madrid 58:39--82, 59:3--65; Aedo et al. 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:594--630]
Geranium californicum G.N. Jones & F.L. Jones
NATIVE
Habit: Perennial herb. Stem: ascending to erect, 2--7 dm; hairs soft. Leaf: blade 3--8 cm wide, divided 0.7--0.8 to base, segments 5--7, wedge-shaped. Flower: pedicel 28--80 mm; sepals 8--11 mm, smooth, short-awned; petals 10--15 mm, obtuse to +- notched, white to rose, veins lavender to purple, basal adaxial surface soft-hairy; nectaries hair-tufted at top. Fruit: mericarp 4.5--5 mm, smooth, sparsely glandular; beak 21--23 mm, narrow tip 5--6 mm; stigmas 6--8 mm. Seed: faintly pitted.
Ecology: Moist sites, streambanks, meadows, woodland; Elevation: 1000--3000 m. Bioregional Distribution: SNH, SCo, TR, PR, n SNE. Flowering Time: Apr--Aug
Synonyms: Geranium concinnum G.N. Jones & F.L. Jones
Jepson eFlora Author: Carlos Aedo
Reference: [Aedo 2001 Anales Jard Bot Madrid 59:3--65; Aedo et al. 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:594--630]
Index of California Plant Names (ICPN; linked via the Jepson Online Interchange)

Previous taxon: Geranium bicknellii
Next taxon: Geranium carolinianum

Botanical illustration including Geranium californicumbotanical illustration including Geranium californicum


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Citation for this treatment: Carlos Aedo 2022, Geranium californicum, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, Revision 11, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=26708, accessed on December 03, 2024.

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2024, Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/, accessed on December 03, 2024.

Geranium californicum
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©2017 Keir Morse
Geranium californicum
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©2020 Barry Breckling
Geranium californicum
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©2009 Thomas Stoughton
Geranium californicum
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©2020 Barry Breckling
Geranium californicum
click for image enlargement
©2017 Keir Morse

More photos of Geranium californicum
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Geographic subdivisions for Geranium californicum:
SNH, SCo, TR, PR, n SNE.
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map of distribution 1

(Note: any qualifiers in the taxon distribution description, such as 'northern', 'southern', 'adjacent' etc., are not reflected in the map above, and in some cases indication of a taxon in a subdivision is based on a single collection or author-verified occurrence).






 

Data provided by the participants of the  Consortium of California Herbaria.

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All markers link to CCH specimen records. The original determination is shown in the popup window.
Blue markers indicate specimens that map to one of the expected Jepson geographic subdivisions (see left map). Purple markers indicate specimens collected from a garden, greenhouse, or other non-wild location.
Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
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CCH collections by month Flowering-Fruiting Monthly Counts

Duplicates counted once; synonyms included.
Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa, if there are more than 1 infraspecific taxon in CA.
Blue line denotes eFlora flowering time (fruiting time in some monocot genera).