Geranium homeanum Turcz.
Perennial herb; taproot cylindric, to c. 2 cm diam., often divided; caulorrhiza short and stout, bearing a number of flowering stems. Hairs variable, the longer ones mostly curved or bent near base. Petiole of basal lvs to c. 30 cm long; hairs denser distally and mostly appressed to ascending. Lamina to c. 9 cm diam., reniform to orbicular, lobed to 3/4-⅞ way to midrib; lobes usually 5-7, obovate, sparsely hairy on both sides, obtuse, mucronate, the larger lobes usually with (5)-9 teeth; median and longer lateral teeth oblong-obovate. Cauline lvs similar to basal but smaller, with few lobes. Flowering stem glabrescent; hairs mostly appressed to ascending; bracteoles ± linear; fls in pairs. Outer sepals 3-3.5 × c. 2.5 mm, ovate-elliptic; inner sepals narrower, with hyaline margins; hairs short and appressed. Petals c. 4.5 × 3 mm, obovate, pale pink. Mericarps hairy; beak to 12 mm long. Seed c. 2 × 1.2 mm, oblong, reddish brown; dorsal alveolae mostly rectangular, rather shallow.
N.; S.: rare south of Nelson and Marlborough.
Also indigenous to Australia.
Open lowland sites, commonly coastal, grasslands, cliffs, sometimes in waste places.
FL Sep-Apr.
Gardner, R. O., New Zealand J. Bot. 22: 127-128 (1984), suggested that G. homeanum was introduced to N.Z. soon after European contact; his view is not accepted here. It is mainly found in modified habitats, and so may have greatly increased in frequency during the last 2 centuries. G. homeanum was treated by Allan (1961) as G. australe.
