The Botanical Magazine/Volume 1/20

by William Curtis

[ 20 ]

Geranium Peltatum. Ivy-Leaved Geranium.

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Class and Order.

Monadelphia Decandria.

Generic Character.

Monogyna. Stigmata quinque. Fructus rostratus. 5-coccus.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

GERANIUM peltatum calycibus monophyllis, foliis quinquelobis integerrimis glabris subpeltatis, caule fruticoso. Linn. Syst. Vegetab. ed. 14. p. 613.

GERANIUM africanum, foliis inferioribus asari, superioribus staphidisagriæ maculatis splendentibus et acetosæ sapore. Comm. Præl. 52. t. 2.

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A native of Africa, as are most of our shewy Geraniums, is not so tender as many others, and may be propagated very readily from cuttings

A leaf, having its foot-stalk inserted into the disk or middle part of it, or near it, is called by Linnæus, peltatum, hence the Latin trivial name of this plant. It may be observed, however, that some of the leaves have this character more perfectly than others.

The African Geraniums differ much from the European, in the irregularity of their Petals, but exhibit the character of the Class Monadelphia much better than any of our English ones, having their filaments manifestly united into one body; this species has only 7 filaments bearing antheræ, but 3 barren ones may be discovered upon a careful examination, which makes it of the order Decandria.