Geranium potentilloides

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Geranium potentilloides
Geranium potentilloides.jpeg
Geranium microphylum-Botany of Antarctica-PL005-0015.jpg
as G. microphyllum [1]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Geraniales
Family: Geraniaceae
Genus: Geranium
Species:
G. potentilloides
Binomial name
Geranium potentilloides
Synonyms [2]

Geranium graniticolaCarolin
Geranium microphyllum Hook.f.
Geranium philonotumDC.
Geranium pilosum var. potentilloides(L'Hér. ex DC.) Ewart
Geranium potentilloides var. abditumCarolin

Contents

Geranium potentilloides, belongs to the family Geraniaceae, and is a small prostrate perennial herb that can grow up to 60cm high. [4] The species is commonly referred to as Soft Cranesbill or Cinquefoil geranium. [5] [6] [7]

Description

Geranium potentilloides grows upwards and sideways to a height between 15-60cm, and can take root from the leaf nodes to form extensive clumps. [4] The leaves of Geranium potentilloides are dark green [8] or greyish-green [4] in colour with a indented glossy surface. [8] [9] The underside of the leaves is often purplish. [9] The leaves are round to kidney-shaped and divided into wedge-shapes segments, [4] containing 5-7 lobes to a leaf. [9] These lobes are narrow-obovate and toothed. The stem leaves are 1.5–3.5 cm long and to 5 cm wide and sit opposite on stem. The basal leaves are larger than the stem leaves and are not persistent in summer. [10] The stem of this species has short, bristly reflexed hairs that are pressed towards the stem, [10] which can also be found on the leaves. [4] The roots of Geranium potentilloides consist of a thick multi-branched taproot system. [9] Thee roots have the ability to nodes that come in contact with soil. [8]


The flowers are a white to pale pink. The stalks that grow up to 7cm [9] contain a singular flower, consisting of five green sepals and five white to pale pink petals with translucent veins. [10] The petals are 5-6mm long and the tips may be notched or rounded. Each plant has both male and female organs and is usually pollinated by insects. [6] Geranium potentilloides flower from around October to April in its native habitat. [7] [9]

Geranium potentilloides flower Geranium potentilloides flower.jpg
Geranium potentilloides flower

The seed of Geranium potentilloides is brown or black, and has a bristle that helps it to pierce the soil crust for germination. [9] The fruit of the species is Fruit 12–14 mm long. [10]

Habitat and Distribution

Geranium potentilloides is native to the south-east of Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. [12] [13] In Tasmania, Australia the species is found on eastern and central mountains up to 1000m. [8] The species has also been introduced to coastal areas of central California, where it is known as Australian cranesbill and flowers from May to August. [4]

Distribution of Geranium potentilloides across Southern Hemisphere Distribution map of Geranium potentilloides.jpg
Distribution of Geranium potentilloides across Southern Hemisphere

The species is commonly found in woodlands, grasslands and moist forested areas [8] and prefers damp, shady sites. [4] Geranium potentilloides requires well drained moist soil [8] and can survive in dryish basalt and clay soils and dolerite in Tasmania. The species can tolerate seasonal drought conditions but is intolerant of prolonged inundation. [9]

Uses

Geranium potentilloides has roots which are edible raw or cooked. [6] The starchy roots are known to have been roasted for food by aboriginal Australian people, [5] [9] although it is likely that this was only the less bitter younger roots. [6] Some Geranium species contain high levels of tannin and were used as an anti-diarrhoeal by aboriginal people. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Geranium</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Geraniaceae

Geranium is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. They are found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, but mostly in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region.

<i>Geranium maderense</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium maderense, known as giant herb-Robert or the Madeira cranesbill, is a species of flowering plant in the family Geraniaceae, native to the island of Madeira. It is sometimes confused with another Madeira endemic, Geranium palmatum.

<i>Geranium sanguineum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Geraniaceae

Geranium sanguineum, common names bloody crane's-bill or bloody geranium, is a species of hardy flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the cranesbill family Geraniaceae. It is also the county flower of Northumberland.

<i>Geranium maculatum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Geraniaceae

Geranium maculatum, the wild geranium, spotted geranium, or wood geranium, is a perennial plant native to woodland in eastern North America, from southern Manitoba and southwestern Quebec south to Alabama and Georgia and west to Oklahoma and South Dakota.

<i>Geranium sylvaticum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium sylvaticum, the wood cranesbill or woodland geranium, is a species of hardy flowering plant in the family Geraniaceae, native to Europe and northern Turkey.

<i>Geranium viscosissimum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium viscosissimum, commonly known as the sticky purple geranium, is a perennial in the flowering plant family Geraniaceae. It is thought to be a protocarnivorous plant.

<i>Geranium lucidum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium lucidum, commonly known as shining cranesbill or shining geranium or shiny geranium, is a herbaceous annual plant of the genus Geranium. It is native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It has been introduced to North America as a garden plant and in places, particularly the Pacific Northwest, has become naturalised and is viewed as an invasive species and noxious weed.

<i>Gaultheria hispida</i> Species of flowering plant

Gaultheria hispida, commonly known as the copperleaf snowberry, is an endemic eudicot of Tasmania, Australia. It is an erect multi-branched shrub, that can be found in wet forests and alpine woodlands. Its berries appear snowy white and leaves are tipped with a copper tinge, hence the common name.

<i>Pelargonium peltatum</i> Scrambling perennial plant in the family Geraniaceae from southern and eastern South Africa

Pelargonium peltatum is a scrambling perennial plant with five shallow or deeply lobed, circular- to heart-shaped, somewhat fleshy leaves, sometimes with a differently coloured semicircular band, that has been assigned to the cranesbill family. It carries umbel-like inflorescences with 2–10, white to mauve, bilateral symmetrical flowers, each with a "spur" that is merged with the flower stalk. It is known by several common names including ivy-leaved pelargonium and cascading geranium. It is native to southern and eastern South Africa. In its home range, it flowers year round but most vigorously from August to October.

<i>Geranium subcaulescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium subcaulescens is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family Geraniaceae, that is native to Italy, Turkey and the Balkans. A low, mounded evergreen perennial, it typically grows to 8 in (20 cm) tall by more than 11 in (28 cm) broad, with grey-green orbicular and lobed leaves, and masses of bright magenta pink flowers with black centres in summer.

<i>Daviesia latifolia</i> Species of legume

Daviesia latifolia, commonly known as hop bitter-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect, spreading shrub with elliptic, egg-shaped or lance-shaped phyllodes and orange-yellow and maroon flowers in long racemes.

<i>Geranium columbinum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium columbinum, common name long-stalked crane's-bill or longstalk cranesbill, is a herbaceous annual plant in the family Geraniaceae.

<i>Geranium nodosum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium nodosum, the knotted crane's-bill, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Geraniaceae.

<i>Richea gunnii</i> Species of flowering plant

Richea gunnii, the bog candleheath or Gunns richea, is an endemic Tasmanian angiosperm. It is a dicot of the family Ericaceae and is found in Central, Western and North-east Tasmania.

<i>Cotula alpina</i> Species of flowering plant

Cotula alpina, also known as the alpine cotula, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae. It is a small flowering plant that forms ground covering mats and is well adapted to alpine environments.

Monotoca glauca, known as goldy wood, is a heath family shrub endemic to Tasmania, Australia and is one of 17 described Monotoca species. It is a widespread and abundant understory species found on the margins of wet eucalypt forests and logged areas.

<i>Chionogentias diemensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Chionogentias diemensis is a flowering herbaceous alpine plant in the family Gentianaceae, endemic to the island of Tasmania in Australia. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian mountain gentian. Chionogentias diemensis has been classified into two sub-species: the Tasmanian snow-gentian and the Ben Lomond snow-gentian.

<i>Geranium solanderi</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium solanderi is a species of plant in the family Geraniaceae. It is native to Australia, and to New Zealand.

<i>Coprosma moorei</i> Species of plant

Coprosma moorei, commonly known as blue matcurrant or turquoise coprosma, is a small, mat forming, prostrate shrub in the Rubiaceae family. It is native to highland areas of Tasmania and Eastern Victoria.

Celmisia saxifraga, commonly known as the small snowdaisy, is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family. It is native to Tasmania and Victoria, where it grows in alpine grasslands above the snowline.

References

  1. ↑ Hooker, J.D. (1844). "Geranium microphyllum Plate V". The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839-1843 :under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. 1: 8, Plate V.
  2. 1 2 "Geranium potentilloides L'Hér. ex DC. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  3. ↑ Candolle, A.P. de (1824). Candolle, A.P. de (ed.). "Geraniaceae". Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis. 1: 639.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Southwest, The American. "Australian Cranesbill , Geranium Potentilloides". www.americansouthwest.net. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  5. 1 2 ".: Geranium potentilloides var. potentilloides :". fe.yarraranges.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Geranium potentilloides Native Carrot, Cinquefoil geranium PFAF Plant Database". pfaf.org. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  7. 1 2 "Key to Tasmanian Dicots". www.utas.edu.au. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Whiting, Jenny comp. Roberts, Jill comp. Reeves, Ricky comp. Tayler, Frank comp. Tayler, Verity comp. Jenny Whiting, Jill Roberts, Ricky Reeves, Frank and Verity Tayler, Jenny Whiting, Jill Roberts, Ricky Reeves, Frank and Verity Tayler. Howells, Christine ed. Clark, Alan col. Heather Clark, Heather col. (2012). Tasmania's natural flora. Australian Plants Society Tasmania Inc, Hobart Group. ISBN   978-0-909830-66-3. OCLC   1123906118.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Soft Crane's-bill | Grasslands". grasslands.ecolinc.vic.edu.au. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "PlantNET - FloraOnline". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
  11. ↑ "Flora of Victoria". vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  12. ↑ "Geranium potentilloides L'Hér. ex DC. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  13. 1 2 Herbaria, jurisdiction:Australian Government Departmental Consortium;corporateName:Council of Heads of Australasian. "Partners". avh.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
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