Geranium dissectum
L. Cut-leaf Crane's-billDecumbent to erect annual to 40 cm high; stems with retrorse to patent eglandular hairs and patent glandular hairs (at least on pedicels); taproot slender. Leaves often alternate, c. orbicular to reniform, 2–4(–6) cm long, deeply palmatisect with 5–7 deeply trilobed primary lobes, ultimate lobes broad and obtuse in young plants, linear and acute in mature plants; upper surface with stiff, inclined hairs predominantly along veins and margin; stipules c. triangular, deeply bisected or trisected. Flowers paired; peduncle 1–2 cm long; pedicels 0.8–1.5 cm long; sepals ovate to lanceolate, 5–8 mm long, pilose, with long glandular and eglandular hairs, mucro c. 1.5 mm long. Petals obovate, 7–10 mm long, rose-magenta, deeply emarginate; anthers purplish or yellow, with blue-purple dehiscence lines. Fruit 12–13(–20) mm long, rostrum with long glandular and short eglandular hairs; mericarps smooth, hirsute; seeds strongly rugose, with distinct iso-diametric alveolae. Flowers Aug.–Dec.
MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, DunT, NIS, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, Tas., New Zealand. Native to Northern Africa, Europe, Asia (temperate). Widespread on disturbed land, cultivated or waste places on a wide variety of substrates including sandy soils and heavy basaltic clays.
Characterized by the dense spreading glandular hairs on upper parts of the plant, deeply-emarginate magenta petals, and at least the upper leaves with narrow, acute-tipped lobes. The mericarps are distinctive in retaining the seed by means of a rigid 'prong' at the distal end; mericarps of other Australian taxa have seed retained by a cluster of bristles attached to a callus.
Smith, L.P. (1999). Geranium. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 219–233. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
