Genera: Pelargonium
Synonym: Anisopetala, Campylia, Chorisma, Ciconium, Corthumia, Cortusina, Cynosbata, Dibrachya, Dimacria, Eumorpha, Geraniospermum, Grenvillea, Hoarea, Isopetalum, Jenkinsonia, Ligularia, Myrrhidium, Otidia, Pelargonion, Peristera, Phymatanthus, Polyactium, Polyschisma, Scolopacium, Seymouria
TaxonomyPelargonium is a genus in
Geraniaceae.
Plant theoryIn the
Plant theory Pelargonium is Placed in
Subphase 5. Pelargonium is split in Subgenera that are placed in the 17
Stages.
SubgeneraBotanically there are about 17 Subgenera recognised in Pelargonium
Pelargonium Campylia
Pelargonium Chorisma
Pelargonium Ciconium
Pelargonium Cortusina
Pelargonium Glaucophyllum
Pelargonium Hoarea
Pelargonium Isopetalum
Pelargonium Jenkinsonia
Pelargonium Ligularia
Pelargonium Myrrhidium
Pelargonium Otidia
Pelargonium Pelargonium
Pelargonium Peristera
Pelargonium Polyactium
Pelargonium Subsucculentia
BotanyHabit : perennial shrubs, shrublets, acaulescent geophytes, scramblers or annuals.
Stem : erect or decumbent; often woody at base, soft-wooded or subsucculent, sometimes succulent; aromatic; variously hairy, often glandular; sometimes with persistent spine-like stipules or petioles
Leaves: petiolate, stipulate, alternate or opposite, entire to much dissected (sometimes on the same plant) or compound, variously hairy, often glandular and aromatic.
Inflorescence: 2 to many-flowered; pseudo-umbel; bracts present
Flowers: rarely solitary, zygomorphic, pentamerous
Sepals: imbricate; connate at base; receptacle forming a hypanthium with a nectariferous spur opening (hypanthium) at base of posterior sepal, lower end of spur thickened; with a nectariferous gland
Petals: 5, rarely 4, seldom 2, in 2 groups of 2 upper and 0-3 lower; imbricate, unguiculate (clawed) or sessile, rarely lacerate: variously coloured
Stamens: 10, connate at base, 2-7 filaments bearing anthers (fertile), remaining ones often vestigial (staminodes), anthers dorsifixed
Ovary: 5-lobed, 5-locular, beaked (rostrate); with 2 ovules in each locule, hirsute; style of varying length; stigmas 5, usually filiform and reflexed
Fruit: rostrate schizocarp; mericarps rostrate, 1-seeded, tapering from the apex to the base, long-haired
Seeds: oblong-obovoid; endosprem absent; embryo curved.
LiteratureWalt, J. J. A. van der; Pelargoniums of Southern Africa, Vol. 1; Purnell, Cape Town, 1977.