Geranium homeanum Turcz.

Australasian geranium (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Geraniales > Geraniaceae > Geranium

Characteristics

Perennial herb; taproot cylindric, to c. 2 cm diam., often divided; caulorrhiza short and stout, bearing a number of flowering stems. Hairs variable, the longer ones mostly curved or bent near base. Petiole of basal lvs to c. 30 cm long; hairs denser distally and mostly appressed to ascending. Lamina to c. 9 cm diam., reniform to orbicular, lobed to 3/4-⅞ way to midrib; lobes usually 5-7, obovate, sparsely hairy on both sides, obtuse, mucronate, the larger lobes usually with (5)-9 teeth; median and longer lateral teeth oblong-obovate. Cauline lvs similar to basal but smaller, with few lobes. Flowering stem glabrescent; hairs mostly appressed to ascending; bracteoles ± linear; fls in pairs. Outer sepals 3-3.5 × c. 2.5 mm, ovate-elliptic; inner sepals narrower, with hyaline margins; hairs short and appressed. Petals c. 4.5 × 3 mm, obovate, pale pink. Mericarps hairy; beak to 12 mm long. Seed c. 2 × 1.2 mm, oblong, reddish brown; dorsal alveolae mostly rectangular, rather shallow.
More
Leaves 5-7-partite, (12-)20-30(-40) by (20-)25-50(-60) mm, the middle segment 3-lobed, lobes usually again with lateral lobules, free for (0.65-)0.75-0.85th part of its length, 1.8-7 mm wide at the base of its free part, obovate in outline, apex rounded to acuminate, apiculate, lateral and marginal nerves distinct, upper surface evenly moderately appressedly strigose, lower surface especially so on the nerves. Inflorescences 1-or 2-flowered. Peduncle in fruit 10-44(-67) mm long, pedicels then 9-16(-28) mm. Petals white (to pale red purple?), 3.5-6 mm long, 1-1.3 times as long as the 3.5-5 mm long sepals. Sepals in fruit 3.8-7.5 mm long.
A herb that keeps growing from year to year. It lies along the ground and has weak trailing stems. These can be 70 cm long. They are hairy. The leaves are almost round and 4.5-5.5 cm long by 4.5 cm wide. They have 3-5 lobes and these are divided into secondary lobes. The leaves are more pale underneath. They are hairy and have teeth along the edge. The flowers are in pairs and 8 mm across. The taproot is 4 cm long by 9 mm wide.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) -
Root system tap-root
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Roadsides, grassy slopes, light Casuarina-forest; alt. 1300-2700 m.
More
It is a temperate plant.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 7-11

Usage

The taproot is roasted then eaten.
Uses -
Edible roots
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Leaf

Geranium homeanum leaf picture by blue Hat (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Geranium homeanum world distribution map, present in New Zealand and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:373148-1
WFO ID wfo-0000700619
COL ID 6KDNB
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Geranium homeanum Geranium glabratum Geranium dissectum var. glabratum Geranium potentilloides var. parviflora