Geraninm

Geraninm, the genus giving its name to the order Geraniacca among dicotyledonous plants. It comprises upwards of 100 species, almost all herbaceous and natives of temperate regions, mainly in the Northern hemisphere, 12 being British. They derive both their scientific and their popular name, which is Cranesbill, from the long beak-like carpophore, to the sides of which the five styles adhere until the carpels are ripe. They have swollen stem-joints; stipulate and usually palmately dissected leaves; polysymmetric, pentamerous flowers, with ten stamens united at their bases and hypogynous. Most of the so-called Geraniums of our gardens belong truly to the genus Pelargonium (q.v.), are mostly natives of South Africa, and are distinguished by their monosymmetric flowers with an adherent spur to the calyx.