A N F Keys
1 Blades of leaves and bracts palmately lobed (unlobed) and with palmate principal veins from base; stamens all fertile; schizocarp with beaks to 30 mm long
2 Plants scapose; blades kidney-shaped to inversely heart-shaped (obcordate), 11−20 × 12−23 mm, unlobed or shallowly 3-, 5-, or 7-lobed and short-crenate on margins; petals pale pink (appearing white) without darker pigmentation or with fine green lines, extremely easily dislodged; fertile stamens 5, staminodes absent .. Erodium macrophyllum [pics]
2' Plants not scapose; blades ± roundish in outline, mostly 20+ mm long; petals rose-purple to reddish purple with darker lines; stamens 10 in 2 whorls .. Geranium
1' Blades of leaves and bracts pinnately lobed, divided, or compound and with pinnate principal venation; fertile stamens 5, staminodes 5 (inner whorl); schizocarp with beaks typically > 30 mm long .. Erodium
Erodium L'Hér.
STORKSBILL, FILAREE
1 Basal leaves pinnately compound
2 Leaflet blades ± ovate and mostly unlobed, 8−25 × 5.5−15 mm, on shoot axes often whitish; umbel mostly 6−10-flowered; petals unequal with 2 shorter petals, short-clawed, 5−9.5 × 1.5−3 mm; schizocarp to 43 mm long, having conspicuous beads of colorless exudate in the troughs and pits at the base of the style .. Erodium moschatum [pics]
2' Leaflets blades highly dissected and divided, 25−75 × 15−37 mm, on shoot axes green or crimson; umbel mostly 3−7-flowered; petals equal, not clawed, 5.2−6.4 × 2.1−3.2 mm; schizocarps 33−46 mm long, lacking beads of colorless exudate at base of style .. Erodium cicutarium [pics]
1' Basal leaves not obviously pinnately compound
3 Blades ± kidney-shaped cordate at base, 11−20 × 12−23 mm, at most only shallowly lobed; umbel 1−5-flowered; petals pale pink, 8−9 mm long, easily dislodged (fugacious); schizocarps < 40 mm long .. Erodium macrophyllum [pics]
3' Blades mostly ovate in outline, 12−110 mm long and mostly > 30 mm wide, divided to dissected; petals reddish purple to rose-lavender
4 Plants with flat rosette and appearing acaulous with 1−several inflorescences; umbel 1−4-flowered; sepals at anthesis 7−10 mm long; petals 10.5−14 × 4.5−7 mm; schizocarps (50−)80−110 mm long .. Erodium botrys [pics]
4' Leafy plants with ascending, branched, leafy inflorescences; umbel 3−4-flowered; sepals at anthesis 4.5−5.3 mm long; petals 5.5−6.5 × 2−2.5 mm; schizocarps to 80 mm long .. Erodium brachycarpum [pics]
Geranium L.
CRANESBILL, GERANIUM
1 Plants with branches and cauline leaves; blades deeply lobed, commonly lobes 5 or 7 with principal sinuses at least 2/3 to base; sepals with conspicuous awn 1−2 mm long
2 Blades typically < 35 mm long; sepal awns ± 1 mm long; petals 3−6 mm long, strong rose-purple; style branches 0.4−0.6 mm long .. Geranium dissectum [pics]
2' Blades mostly > 35 mm long; sepal awns 1.2−2 mm long; petals 6−8 mm long, pink-lavender; style branches 0.7−1.4 mm long .. Geranium carolinianum [pics]
1' Plants appearing mostly as basal rosettes; blades mostly shallowly lobed (rarely exceeding 1/2 to base); sepals without conspicuous awn
3 Leaves appearing alternate; petals > sepals, conspicuously notched (emarginated) .. Geranium molle [pics]
3' Leaves appearing usually opposite; petals < sepals, rounded at tip and never notched .. Geranium rotundifolium [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013