Stork's-bills & Round-petalled Crane's-bills
What are they?
Low-growing, perennial herbs in the family Geraniaceae. Stork's-bills resemble crane's-bills in their long, slender seed capsules, but generally differ in their rosettes of basal leaves which are usually pinnate and in their flower petals which tend to be rounded at the tip and not notched. A number of species have occurred in the UK as rare introductions with various materials (most notably wool bi-products) but these mostly no longer occur in our region. Some of the crane's-bills are included on this page as they have relatively narrow, rounded petals. However, they differ from stork's-bills in having palmate or ternate leaves that may further be deeply lobed almost to the veins.
Where are they found?
Stork's-bills are plants of open areas, generally either in short turf or in disturbed ground along field margins, dunes, gardens and waste places. The crane's-bills on this page tend to be species of shady places, either in woodland or under trees in parks, churchyards and similar places.
Identification
The species in our area are best told from each other by careful attention to details of the leaves. Identifying the introduced species can be very difficult and is mostly based on details of the structure of the seed! Other species of crane's-bills are generaly much larger and broader-petalled than the species included on this page, or have petals that are obviously notched. Note: When growing in dry, impoverished soil or on walls or beaches, these plants can often become stunted and the leaves become bright red in colour.
Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium
Native. Common and widespread in open and disturbed ground in areas of light, sandy soils. Flowers June to August. Leaves form flat rosettes on open ground but may be more upright among taller vegetation and have a 'carrot top' look. Leaflets deeply toothed/lobed and usually cut more than half way to their midrib. The seed capsule has a distinct, single, ridge and groove towards the top end, which is not obscured by over-growing hairs. These features are useful in helping to separate out some of the rarer, introduced species that have been recorded in the UK.
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Musk Stork's-bill Erodium moschatum
Considered possibly native but more likely an early introduction in coastal areas. In more recent times, this species has been spreading rapidly as a weed of disturbed ground in urban areas, being particularly frequent on mown, grassy verges along main thoroughfares. Flowers April to July. Leaves form flat rosettes on open ground but may be more upright among taller vegetation and have a 'carrot top' look. Leaflets more shallowly toothed/lobed than those of Common Stork's-bill and cut no more than half way to their midrib.
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Sea Stork's-bill Erodium maritimum
Native in Western Britain with a single Suffolk record which was presumably inadvertently introduced. Largely a plant of coastal sand dunes but also grows as a weed on walls and in pavement cracks. Flowers June to September. A small amd easily-missed plant with leaves forming flat rosettes and flowers usually having no petals.
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Common Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum
Common and widespread in all kinds of shady places, but also as a low-growing plant of shingle beaches and frequently on walls. Flowers May to September. Low-growing to no more than 40cm. Leaves are divided into three main sections (ternate), each section further deeply divided almost to the veins. Flowers usually pink but sometimes white, petals 8-14mm, anthers pinkish-orange to purple, followed by typical elongated fruiting capsules that resemble a crane's bill.
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Little Robin Geranium purpureum
Native in warmer parts of southern Britain and only introduced in East Anglia. However, the species appears to be increasing in urban environments around Cambridge and may psread northwards from more recent populations in northern London. Flowers May to September. Closely resembles a smaller version of Common Herb-robert; petals 5-9mm, anthers yellow, fruits with dense, wrinkle-like ribs and 2-4 deep collar-like ridges at the apex.
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Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum
Scattered throughout and can be locally common in churchyards and along shady lanes and byways. Also frequently on walls. Flowers May to August. Low-growing to no more than 30cm. Leaves palmately-lobed like many crane's-bills but differing in being glossy and almost hairless. When viewed side on, the flowers have distinctively ribbed calyxes.
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Long-stalked Crane's-bill Geranium columbinum
A scarce species found on old, undisturbed grassland sites, usually on chalky soils. Flowers June to July. A low, sprawling plant wth deeply dissected leaves. Flowers held on long stalks; stems and leaves clothed with stiff, whitish hairs. Petals more or less on-notched, bright pink.
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Manescau's Stork's-bill Erodium manescavii
Introduced from the Pyrenees as a garden ornamental and recently found seeding freely on path sides in several places. Flowers May to September or later in mild weather. Larger than our native stork's-bills with rather carrot-like leaves. Flowers large (2.5-3.5cm across) with distinctive coloured patches on the upper two petals.
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Three-leaved Stork's-bill Erodium trifolium
Introduced from North-west Africa as a garden ornamental and recently found spreading from gardens in Norfolk and in the Cambridge area. Flowers April to September or later in mild weather. Larger than our native stork's-bills with whitish flowers that bear distinctive coloured patches on the upper two petals. Larger basal leaves more or less three-lobed.
Has been much confused in cultivation with Erodium pelargoniiflorum from Turkey and many pictures on the internet are wrongly identified. The two are superficially similar (though cultivated plants bear little resemblance to wild plants, perhaps due to differing growing conditions); E. trifolium has sepals more or less rounded at the tip, bearing a mucronate (spiked) tip of no more than 0.5mm. The flowers stalks reflex after flowering, but the developing fruits remain upright. E. pelargoniiflorum has sepals bearing a mucronate (spiked) tip of around 2mm in length. The flowers stalks reflex after flowering and the developing fruits reflex also.
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Greater Herb-Robert Geranium yeoi
Introduced from Madeira as a garden ornamental and recorded as escaping onto a public footpath in Buxton, Norfolk. Flowers May to August. Resembles a larger version of our native Common Herb-robert but is larger in all of its parts, especially its leaves, which may grow to 22cm across. Flowers with an obviously darker centre.
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