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Geranium retrorsum

L'Hér. ex DC. (1824)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Geraniales Family: Geraniaceae Genus: Geranium

cransebill

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs from swollen, fleshy, unbranched, carrot-like taproots up to ca. 3 cm in diameter.

Stems: Flowering stems decumbent to ascending, 2–6(–8) dm long, many-branched, sparsely covered with coarse, retrorse hairs, glabrate below.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite and basal. Blades suborbicular to reniform in outline, 2–5 cm long, 2.3–6 cm wide. Surfaces sparsely appressed pubescent. Margins deeply palmately (3–)5–7-lobed, the lobes usually oblong, occasionally oblong–obovate to cuneate, these again divided, the central lobe usually longer than wide. Petioles usually 0.5–7 cm long, those of basal leaves up to ca. 40 cm long. Stipules lanceolate to narrowly deltate, ca. 3–6 mm long, retrorsely appressed pubescent.

Flowers: Flowers usually in pairs in the leaf axils; peduncles and pedicels slender; peduncles 0.6–2(–8) cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic; pedicels 1.8–3.5 cm long, moderately retrorsely pubescent; pedicels subtended by narrow bracts. Calyx of 5 sepals, ovate, 4–6 mm long, with 3 inconspicuous veins, pubescent over most of the surface, but somewhat more dense along veins, apex with an awn 0.4–1 mm long, distinct or sometimes connate at base, rarely forming a tube. Petals white to rose pink, obovate, 5–10 mm long. Stamens (5)10; filaments ± connate at base, those alternate with the petals longer than others and with basal glands; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior or nearly so, 5-celled, carpels connate around a central column to form a compound ovary with as many cells, fertile portion a lobed ring at base of stylar column, placentation axile; ovules 2 per cell, anatropous to campylotropous, usually pendulous; styles 3–5, slender and beak-like, sometimes narrowed below apex, stylar column elongating to 8–15 mm long in fruit; stigmas slender and dry, rarely capitate.

Fruit: Septicidal and elastically dehiscent capsules separating into as many segments as carpels; a portion of the style splitting off from remainder of stylar column and forming an awn that recurves upward from the persistent central column; usually remaining attached to apex; sometimes the awn also becomes spirally coiled; awn usually hygroscopic; carpel bodies ca. 2–3 mm long; pubescent. Seeds 1–2 per segment; dark brown to nearly black; oblong–obovoid; a. 2 mm long; the surface conspicuously reticulate; endosperm usually scanty or absent; rarely copious and oily.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Naturalized in usually dry; disturbed habitats; especially pastures.

Elevation Range: 915–1,067(–2,070) m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Prodr. 1: 644 (1824)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:734 (L, M, H); Aedo 2023:307 (DESCR, KEY); Forbes 273.L BISH (L†, 1918)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Geranium retrorsum Parker Ranch, Kaala wet pasture Preserved_Specimen Ewart III, G.R. 285 Hawaii BISH 1932-06-16
2 Geranium retrorsum unknown Preserved_Specimen BISH
3 Geranium retrorsum N. Kohala in Kahua Ranch pasture Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1569 Hawaii BISH 1936-09-04
4 Geranium retrorsum South Kona, Kealakekua Ranch, road to Papaloa Ohia/fern forest heavily disturbed by grazing. Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5950 Hawaii BISH 1988-03-11
5 Geranium retrorsum Peahu, Kula, Makawao abundant in grassy pasture Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1750 Maui BISH 1937-01-26
6 Geranium retrorsum W slopes of Haleakala; on ridge NW of Kalepeamoa, Kula FR; Tr 30(16/17) dry exotic tree community with scattered native trees and an exotic grass understory; on dry ash Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 9201 Maui BISH 1980-06-17
7 Geranium retrorsum Parker Ranch, Pokanaka plowed field Preserved_Specimen Ewart III, G.R. 182 Hawaii BISH 1932-04-21
8 Geranium retrorsum Loaloa, near Humuula Preserved_Specimen Usinger, R.L. 693 Hawaii BISH 1935-08-07
9 Geranium retrorsum N.Kohala, Kahua Ranch open pasture Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1548 Hawaii BISH 1936-08-29
10 Geranium retrorsum Mountains E enc Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 273 Lanai BISH 1918-06-01
11 Geranium retrorsum Mauna Kea Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 218 Hawaii BISH 1910-07-01
12 Geranium retrorsum NW outer slope of Haleakala, around research cabin near entrance to the park Preserved_Specimen Henrickson, J.S. 3874 Maui BISH 1969-07-15
13 Geranium retrorsum Waimea Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Hawaii BISH
14 Geranium retrorsum Hamakua Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Maui BISH
15 Geranium retrorsum Kohala Mountains, upper Hamakua Ditch at end of access road above Waikoloa reservoirs #1 and 2 Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5534 Hawaii BISH 1985-06-23
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