Geraniaceae

Geranium Tourn. ex L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 676 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Temp. & Subtropical to Tropical Mountains.

Descriptions

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Herbs or rarely shrublets
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or opposite, palmately lobed or dissected
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 2–3 together or solitary, regular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals usually awn-tipped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals mostly notched
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10, usually all fertile; filaments free or basally united
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles adhering to the beak; stigmas 5, filiform
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Mericarps with beak rolling upwards into a flat spiral at maturity, remaining attached at the apex.
Distribution
Some 360 species, mainly in temperate regions.
Note
The Somali species belong to section Trilopha Yeo (Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 89: 13–14, 1984).
[FSOM]

Geraniaceae, J. O. Kokwaro (University College Nairobi). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs, rarely subshrubs, sometimes tufted, occasionally woody at the base
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or opposite, petiolate, palmatelylobed or dissected, rarely toothed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a simple axillary umbel of 2–3 flowers or the flowers solitary, the peduncle occasionally very short or lacking
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers actinomorphic
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, imbricate, usually awn-tipped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, mostly notched, hypogynous, imbricate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10, usually all fertile, very rarely 5 without anthers; filaments free or shortly connate at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries
Extrastaminal glands 5 and alternating with the petals, generally located at the base of the stamens
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 5-lobed and 5-locular, usually long beaked, each locule containing 2 superposed ovules, 1 ovule aborting; style glabrous inside, adhering to the beak, recoiled at maturity but not twisting; stigmas 5, filiform
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a schizocarp containing 4–5 mericarps, dehiscing by the splitting of the rostrum, the segments of which roll upwards, remaining attached at the apex, thus releasing the 1-seeded mericarp from the base of the calyx; in many species the mericarps open at the same time and the seeds are shot out
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds with thin endosperm or exalbuminous; embryo with leafy cotyledon, curved or folded.
[FTEA]

Geraniaceae, T. Müller. Flora Zambesiaca 2:1. 1963

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 5-lobed, 5-locular; loculi 2-ovulate, with 1 ovule aborting.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a capsule, dehiscing by the splitting of the rostrum, the segments of which roll upwards (remaining attached at the apex) releasing the cocci from the base of the calyx.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds with little or no endosperm.
Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or opposite, stipulate, palmately lobed or dissected.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers actinomorphic, solitary or in pairs, axillary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals and petals 5.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk-glands present.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10 (rarely 5), usually all antheriferous; filaments slightly connate at the base or sometimes free.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China

    • The Malesian Key Group (2010) Interactive Key to Seed Plants of Malesia and Indo-China (Version 2.0, 28 Jul 2010) The Nationaal Herbarium Nederland Leiden and The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0