Geranium lucidum
shining crane's-bill
The keeled sepals are diagnostic.
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California.

Habitat: Disturbed areas such as roadsides and ditches, usually where moist, at low elevations.

Flowers: Apr-June

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, wasps, beetles

Description:
General:

Annual; stems glabrous, erect, 5-45 cm tall, usually reddish-tinged.

Leaves:

Alternate along stem on petioles to 8 cm long; blades to 4 cm across, shiny, glabrous or with inconspicuous appressed hairs, 5-7 lobed, the lobes 1-2-3/4 length of leaf blade; stipules present.

Flowers:

In clusters of 2 on peduncles 1-3.5 cm long; peduncles antrorsely hairy; bracteoles present, to 1.5 mm; sepals 5, 4.5-6.5 mm long, usually glabrous, strongly keeled on outer surface, bristle-tipped; petals 5, pink, 5-9 mm long; stamens 10; stylar column 17-18 mm, stigmas generally 1 mm.

Fruits:

Mericarps 5, 2.5-2.8 mm, net-veined, glabrous; 16-17 mm long; seeds 2-2.2 mm, smooth, uniformly reddish.

Identification Notes:

Easily distinguished from our other Geranium species by the shiny herbage and sepals that are strongly keeled on the back and bristle-tipped.

Comments:

First collected in Washington in 2006. Geranium lucidum is an invasive weed in western Oregon and it should be expected to spread in the lowlands of western Washington.

Accepted Name:
Geranium lucidum L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 682. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Geranium lucidum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Geranium lucidum checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Geranium lucidum information.

E-Flora BC: Geranium lucidum atlas page.

CalPhotos: Geranium lucidum photos.

USDA Plants: Geranium lucidum information.

48 photographs:
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