Geranium molle - Dove's-foot Crane's-bill

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Geraniales - Family: Geraniaceae

This annual or sometimes biennial member of the (wild) Geranium family is a rare sight in Britain and Ireland, where it is often mistaken for its close relative Herb Robert.

Description

Dove's-foot Crane's-bill can grow up to 60cm tall (but 20 to 30cm is more common), producing tiny pink five-petalled flowers that are a mere 7 to 12mm across. A distinguishing feature is the yellow colour of the anthers - in Herb Robert they are orange.

Originally from the Mediterranean region, this little geranium is mainly found in areas when the soil is shallow and mostly dry.

Description

The rounded palmate downy leaves of Geranium molle are divided more than half way into between five and nine lobes. The branching stems, often just 5 to 15cm tall but occasionally extending to 30cm, are also finely hairy. Various shades of pinkish purple, the flowers are 8 to 12mm across and have five deeply-divided veined petals. The fruits (seed capsules) of Dove's-foot Crane's-bill are beaked and ridged. In autumn the leaves and stems turn red.

Distribution

Geranium molle is very common throughout Britain and Ireland. It has also been introduced to most parts of mainland Europe as well as to much of Asia and North America.

Habitat

Dove's-foot Crane's-bill favours dryish shallow soils.

Blooming Times

In Britain and Ireland Dove's-foot Crane's-bill can usually be seen in bloom from April until September.

Etymology

Geranium, the genus name, comes from the Greek noun geranos, meaning Crane (birds of the group of species known as the Gruidae). It is a reference to the beak-like fruit (seed capsule) which is reminiscent of the long beak of a Crane. The specific epithet molle means 'soft' it apparently refers to soft downy leaves.

Similar Species

Shining Cranesbill Geranium locidum is similar but has glabrous (hairless) shiny leaves and much smaller flowers.

The Dove's-foot Crane's-bill plants shown on this page were photographed in North Wales during May and June.

---

---

Please Help Us: If you have found this information interesting and useful, please consider helping to keep First Nature online by making a small donation towards the web hosting and internet costs.

Any donations over and above the essential running costs will help support the conservation work of Plantlife, the Rivers Trust and charitable botanic gardens - as do author royalties and publisher proceeds from books by Pat and Sue.