Erodium malacoides
(L.) Willd. Oval Heron's-billAscending to erect annual herb to 50 cm high; stems with eglandular and glandular hairs (upper stems often with only glandular hairs). Leaf-lamina ovate to cordate, 1.5–5 cm long, 1–4 cm wide, entire to shallowly 3–7-lobed, pilose with eglandular hairs and sessile glands, margins crenate to dentate; petiole 4–9 cm long. Inflorescences 4–7-flowered; peduncle 2–5 cm long; pedicels 6–15 mm long; sepals 2–4 mm long (to 6 mm in fruit), densely glandular-hairy; petals slightly longer than sepals, deep pink to mauve. Mericarps 4–5 mm long, the prominent pit at either side at base of awn with a narrowly acute lower margin and a distinct furrow beneath, both the pit and furrow with scattered glands; awn 2–3.5 cm long. Flowers most of year.
MuM, VVP, GipP, OtP, Gold, HNF, VAlp. Also naturalised SA, NSW, Tas. Native to Mediterranean region. An occasional weed of disturbed sites and wasteland, usually on fairly fertile well-watered sites (e.g. Williamstown, Keilor, Piangil, East Malvern, Mud Islands).
Smith, L.P.; Walsh, N.G. (1999). Geraniaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 218–242. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
