Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate or opposite, simple, palmately lobed or dissected. Flowers actinomorphic, solitary or in pairs, axillary. Sepals and petals 5. Stamens 10 (in ours), usually all fertile. Ovary 5-locular. Beak of mericarp rolling upwards at maturity, remaining attached at its apex.

Geranium polyanthes Edgew. & Hook. f.:
Bhutan (Asia)
India (Asia)
Nepal (Asia)
China (Asia)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Geranium L.:
Argentina (South America)
Brazil (South America)
Canada (North America)
Chile (South America)
Costa Rica (Mesoamerica)
Honduras (Mesoamerica)
Uruguay (South America)
United States (North America)
Venezuela (South America)
Colombia (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Sichuan (Kangding), SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Nepal].

Himalaya (Kumaun to Bhutan), N. Assam, S. Tibet.

Perennials. Rootstock ± vertical, 4-10 mm in diam., not tuberculate, without thickened roots. Stem 7-64 cm tall, erect, not rooting at nodes, subglabrous or with a variable indumentum composed of 0.1-0.3 mm uncinate nonglandular trichomes, 0.8-2.2 mm patent nonglandular trichomes, and 0.2-1.3 mm patent glandular trichomes in different combinations. Stipules ovate, distinct. Leaves 1(or 2) alternate but opposite at inflorescence; petiole subglabrous or with a variable indumentum composed of 0.1-0.3 mm uncinate nonglandular trichomes, 0.4-1.9 mm patent nonglandular trichomes, and 0.5-1.2 mm patent glandular trichomes in different combinations; leaf blade 2.1-5.6 cm, palmately cleft, ratio of main sinus/middle segment length = 0.68-0.81, pilose with ± appressed nonglandular and glandular trichomes; segments 5-7, obtriangular, 3.8-8.9 mm wide at base, 3-9-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.12-0.23. Cymules in dense umbel-like aggregates at apex of each branch, 2(or 3)-flowered; peduncle absent (to 7.3 cm). Pedicel 0.2-2.5 cm, with 1-2.3 mm patent nonglandular trichomes, 0.2-0.3 mm uncinate nonglandular trichomes, and usually 0.4-0.7 mm patent glandular trichomes; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals 4.9-8.2 mm, mucro 0.4-1 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = 0.06-0.13, outside with 0.2-2.6 mm ± patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.4-1.1 mm patent glandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals pinkish, (0.8-)1-1.4 cm, erect to patent, outside glabrous, inside basally with trichomes, margin basally ciliate, apex rounded or retuse. Staminal filaments white, lanceolate, adaxially pilose and proximal half ciliate, trichomes 0.3-0.7 mm; anthers yellow, 0.6-1.1 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma pinkish. Fruit 1.3-2.1 cm, erect when immature; mericarps reticulate, without a basal callus, with ± appressed 0.1-0.2 mm nonglandular trichomes; rostrum 0.9-1.4 cm, without a narrowed apex or with a 0.5-1 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 0.7-1.7 mm. Seeds 1.9-2.6 mm. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Oct.

2400-4500 m

Rhizome horizontal, stem ascending, slender. Leaves suborbicular with 7 segments. Segments not exceeding 24 mm in length, lobes blunt, obtuse, petiole of lower cauline leaves long and slender, lamina pilose; stipule 8 mm long. Peduncle 11.5 cm long, 2-flowered; glandular hairy; bract lanceolate, largest 7 mm long. Flowers 2, sessile. Petal base ciliate.

Forests, scrub, meadows; 2900-4000 m.

Foodplant / gall
Aceria geranii causes gall of leaves (terminal) of Geranium
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / miner
larva of Agromyza nigrescens mines live leaf of Geranium
Other: sole host/prey

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / open feeder
Hypera dauci grazes on leaf of Geranium
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Limobius borealis grazes on leaf of Geranium

Foodplant / parasite
sporangium of Peronospora conglomerata parasitises live Geranium

Foodplant / parasite
Pestalozziella coelomycetous anamorph of Pestalozziella subsessilis parasitises live Geranium

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Protoemphytus carpini feeds on leaf of Geranium

Foodplant / sap sucker
Rhopalus parumpunctatus sucks sap of seed of Geranium

Foodplant / parasite
hypophyllous telium of Uromyces geranii parasitises live leaf of Geranium

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Zacladus exiguus feeds on Geranium

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
                                        

Specimen Records:	136	Public Records:	91
Specimens with Sequences:	169	Public Species:	35
Specimens with Barcodes:	132	Public BINs:	0
Species:	39
Species With Barcodes:	38

Access Published & Released Data: Download FASTA File

Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Geranium

This species is well characterized by its 2(or 3)-flowered cymules in dense umbel-like aggregates at the apex of each branch and its short or absent peduncles. Geranium carolinianum is an annual with similar inflorescences but with smooth mericarps. Rootstock of G. polyanthes is usually vertical, sometimes knotty (probably when growing in difficult soils), but not tuberose. This species can produce cleistogamic flowers of less size, which are not considered in the description.

The plant specimen resembles in facies Geranium collinum but has very short blunt and obtuse leaf segment lobes and flowers that are almost sessile. More plant material of this Geranium species is required for further study.