Geranium aequale
Family
Geraniaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed description
Annual herb to 400 mm; stem erect or decumbent, branched from base, pilose, long eglandular 1–1.2 mm long and short glandular, eglandular hairs < 0.5 mm long. Rossette leaves persistent; lamina 1.5–3–(5) × 1.5–3.7–(5.8) cm, divided 0.60–0.75 of length, pilose, hairs eglandular, appressed; segments 7–9, basally 2–4 mm wide, apex 3–(5)-lobed; cauline leaves alternate; petioles 140 mm long, with patent, eglandular hairs c. 1 mm long and short glandular, eglandular hairs < 0.5 mm long; stipules 6–7 × 3–4 mm, ovate-lanceolate, sometimes lobed, abaxially eglandular pilose, glabrous adaxially. Bracts 2–4 × 1.5–2 mm, pilose with eglandular hairs on abaxial surface and on the margin, glabrous adaxially; peduncles 10–70 mm, hairs eglandular, pilose, patent 1–1.7 mm or < 0.5 mm, glandular, eglandular; pedicels 10–22 mm, pilose, hairs: eglandular, patent 1.0–1.8 mm and < 0.5 mm glandular, eglandular. Sepals 3–5 × 1.5–2 mm, mucronulate, margins scarious, abaxially mixed eglandular hairs 1-2 mm and eglandular, glandular, < 0.5 mm, adaxially glabrous. Petals 3.5–4.5 × 2–3 mm, emarginate (notch 1 mm), claw short, bright purple. Stamens 10, filaments 3–4.5 mm, lanceolate, mostly glabrous; anthers 0.4–0.6 × 0.2–0.3 mm, purple. Gynoecium c. 5 mm long; stigma purple. Fruit 9–12 mm; mericarps 1.4–1.5 × 1.0–1.1 mm, smooth, without longitudinal rib, partially covering seed, mostly glabrous, densely ciliate at base; rostrum 7.0–10.5 mm, apex narrowed, 1–1.5 mm, pilose; stigmatic remnant persistent. Seeds 1.6–1.7 × 0.9–1.0 mm, brownish.
Flower colours
Violet/Purple
Origin
Europe
Etymology
geranium: From the Greek geranos ‘crane’, the fruit of the plant resembling the head and beak of this bird, hence the common name cranesbill.
Reason For Introduction
Probably accidental
Life Cycle Comments
Perennial
Reproduction
By seed
Seed
Long lived
Dispersal
Water and animal