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Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
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Erodium L'Her. ex Aiton

ERODIUM L'Hér.

Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, sometimes aromatic. Stems usually well-developed, sometimes forming a short and ± woody caulorrhiza. Lvs in basal rosettes, sometimes cauline as well, mostly opposite, stipulate, pinnately lobed to pinnate or occasionally undivided, usually longer than wide. Fls usually in bracteate umbels, sometimes solitary, actinomorphic or nearly so. Sepals 5, imbricate, spurless. Petals 5, ± clawed. Fertile stamens 5, antisepalous; staminodes 5, usually of similar length to stamens but lacking anthers. Nectar glands 5. Ovary 5-lobed with long style; ovules 2 per loculus. Fr. with long beak, outer part of the style separating into 5 long awns usually remaining attached to the mericarps and becoming spirally twisted. Mericarps 1-seeded, with 2 apical pits.

Key

1
Lvs 1-2-pinnate; beak of fr. < 4 cm long
2
Lvs shallowly lobed to pinnatisect, if almost pinnate then beak of fr. > 7 cm long
3
2
Filaments of fertile stamens with at most a shoulder on dilated lower part; stipules and bracts acute to short-acuminate; lobes of leaflets linear to broadly lanceolate
2. *cicutarium
Filaments of fertile stamens with a distinct tooth on each side of dilated lower part; stipules and bracts subacute to rounded; lobes of leaflets ± ovate
4. *moschatum
3
Lvs pinnatisect, always lobed > 1/2 way to midrib; beak of fr. 7-9 cm long; mericarp pit with 2 furrows beneath
1. *botrys
Lvs crenate or lobed to < 1/2 way to midrib; beak of fr. 2-2.3 cm long; mericarp pit with 1 furrow beneath
3. *malacoides

60-95 spp., especially Mediterranean region, some in temperate Eurasia, temperate Australia, tropical S. America. Naturalised spp. 4.

Several Erodium spp. with a compact habit and grey lvs are cultivated in rock gardens.

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