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• Geranium aequale

Geranium aequale — smooth Dove's-foot crane's-bill

Facts

Smooth Dove's-foot crane's-bill is a European native, introduced in North America and occasionally found in New England, in Massachusetts and Vermont.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Bulbils

  the plant does not appear to have bulbils

  Bulblets replace flowers

  there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

• Flowers

  Anther color

  there is a noticeable pink, reddish or purplish tint to the anthers

  Anther length

  0.4–0.6 mm

  Anther opening

  the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

  Anther spurs

  the anthers do not have spurs on them

  Calyx growth after flowering

  the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit

  Calyx symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

  Carpel hairs

  the carpels have no hairs

  Carpels fused

  the carpels are fused to one another

  Cleistogamous flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

  Corolla morphology

  NA

  Corolla palate

  no

  Corona lobe length

  0 mm

  Epicalyx

  the flower does not have an epicalyx

  Epicalyx number of parts

  0

  Filament length

  3–4.5 mm

  Filament surface

  the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

  Flower description

  the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

  Flower diameter

  2–3 mm

  Flower length

  3.5–4.5 mm

  Flower number

  1–2

  Flower petal color

  blue to purple

  Flower reproductive parts

  the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

  Flower symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

  Flowers sunken into stem

  no

  Form of style

  • the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
  • the style is narrow at the tip and unbranched

  Fringed petal edges

  the petals are not fringed

  Fused stamen clusters

  NA

  Fusion of sepals and petals

  both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused

  Hairs on flower stalk

  the flower stalk has hairs on it

  Hairs on inflorescence

  at least some of the hairs on the axis of the inflorescence have glands

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower does not have a hypanthium

  Inflorescence one-sided

  the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

  Inner tepals (Rumex)

  NA

  Length of flower stalk

  10–22 mm

  Length of peduncle

  10–70 mm

  Nectar spur

  the flower has no nectar spurs

  Number of carpels

  5

  Number of pistils

  1

  Number of sepals, petals or tepals

  there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

  Number of styles

  1–5

  Ovary position

  the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

  Petal and sepal arrangement

  the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

  Petal and sepal colors

  blue to purple

  Petal appearance

  the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

  Petal base

  the petal narrows abruptly at the base

  Petal folds or pleats

  the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

  Petal hairs (Viola)

  NA

  Petal hairs on inner/upper surface

  there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface

  Petal length

  3.5–4.5 mm

  Petal length relative to sepals

  the petals are about equal in length to the sepals

  Petal nectaries

  the petals have at least one nectary

  Petal number

  5

  Petal tip shape

  the petal tip is retuse (with a blunt or rounded apex and a notch at the center)

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Petal width

  2–3 mm

  Reproductive system

  all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

  Scales inside corolla

  no

  Sepal and petal color

  the sepals are different from the petals

  Sepal appearance

  the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture

  Sepal appendages

  the sepals do not have appendages on them

  Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

  NA

  Sepal cilia

  the sepals do not have cilia

  Sepal color

  • green to brown
  • white

  Sepal number

  5

  Sepal texture

  • the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture
  • the sepals are thin and dry, paperlike

  Sepal tip shape

  • the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)
  • the sepal tip is obtuse (is bluntly pointed)

  Sepal uniformity

  all the sepals are about the same size

  Stamen appendages

  stamen appendages are absent

  Stamen attachment

  the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals

  Stamen lengths differ

  the stamens are all approximately the same length

  Stamen morphology

  the stamens within each cycle are the same

  Stamen number

  10

  Stamen position relative to petals

  the stamens are lined up with the sepals

  Stamen relative length

  anything

  Stamens fused

  the stamens are not attached to one another

  Staminodes

  there are no staminodes on the flower

  Stigma length

  1–2 mm

  Stigma position

  the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style

  Style petal-like

  the styles are not petal-like

  Style relative length

  the stigma does not protrude beyond the mouth of the corolla

  Surface of ovary

  the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles

  Umbel flower reproductive parts

  NA

  Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene relative orientation

  NA

  Achene shape

  NA

  Achene surface (Polygonum)

  NA

  Achene type

  NA

  Berry color

  NA

  Capsule color (Viola)

  NA

  Capsule ribs

  NA

  Capsule splitting

  NA

  Carpel beak length

  7–10.5 mm

  Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

  NA

  Fruit beak length

  1–1.5 mm

  Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Fruit length

  9–12 mm

  Fruit length relative to sepals

  the fruit is longer than its associated sepals

  Fruit locules

  five

  Fruit shape

  the fruit is another shape than those described

  Fruit type (general)

  the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe

  Fruit type (specific)

  the fruit is a schizocarp (when dry it splits into sections, each holding one or more seeds)

  Hair type on fruit

  NA

  Hairs on fruit

  the fruits are not hairy

  Legumes (Fabaceae)

  NA

  Mericarp length

  1.4–1.5 mm

  Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

  NA

  Other markings on berry

  NA

  Ovary stipe

  the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

  Ovary stipe length

  0 mm

  Placenta arrangement

  the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  the fruit is not flattened

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  5

  Seed length

  1.6–1.7 mm

  Seed number

  Up to 1

  Seed relative length

  the seed is longer than it is wide

  Seed surface

  the seed is smooth or without clear markings

  Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Wings on fruit

  the fruit does not have wings on it

  prickles on fruits

  the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

• Glands or sap

  Glands on leaf blade

  the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

  Sap color

  the sap is clear

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)

  Lifespan

  the plant lives only a single year or less

  Parasitism

  the plant is not parasitic

  Plant color

  the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

  Plants darken when dry

  no

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

  Underground organs

  there is a thickened taproot on the plant

• Leaves

  Bracteole edges

  • the braceole margins are palmately lobed or divided
  • the bracteole margins are entire (without teeth, lobes or hairs)

  Bracteole length

  1.5–3 mm

  Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

  0

  Bracteole shape

  the bracteoles are lanceolate (widest below the middle, and tapering at both ends)

  Bracteoles

  the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers

  Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

  NA

  Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

  0

  Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

  2–4 mm

  Hairs on leaf stalk

  the petiole has hairs on it

  Hairs on underside of leaf

  the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

  Hairs on upper side of leaf

  the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

  Hooked hairs on underside of leaf

  no

  Leaf arrangement

  opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)

  Leaf blade edges

  the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes

  Leaf blade hairs

  the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly

  Leaf blade length

  1.5–5 mm

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)
  • the leaf blade is reniform (kidney-shaped; wider than long)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)

  Leaf blade width

  1.5–5.8 mm

  Leaf duration

  • the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
  • the leaves remain green all winter

  Leaf form

  the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

  Leaf hair orientation

  the hairs are flat against the leaf surface, mostly pointing towards the leaf tip

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf stalk

  the leaves have leaf stalks

  Leaf stalk length

  Up to 140 mm

  Leaf teeth and lobes

  the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand

  Leaf tip

  the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point

  Leaf type

  the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Leaf types

  There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

  Leaf variation

  the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

  Leaflet number

  7–9

  Leaflet petiolules

  the leaflets of the compound leaf lack petiolules

  Leaves per node

  there are two leaves per node along the stem

  Pinnately compound leaf type

  NA

  Specific leaf type

  the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Stipels

  NA

  Stipule edges

  the stipule margins do not have teeth

  Stipule features

  NA

  Stipule fused to leaf stalk

  the stipules are not fused to the petioles

  Stipule length

  6–7 mm

  Stipule shape

  • the stipules are lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the stipules are ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

  Stipules

  the plant has stipules

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  Specific habitat

  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branched tendrils

  NA

  Direction of stem hairs

  the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards

  Flowering stem cross-section

  the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular

  Hair between stem nodes

  the stem has hairs between the nodes

  Hairs between stem nodes

  at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands

  Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

  no

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Length of hairs between stem nodes

  0.5–1.2 mm

  Plant height

  Up to 40 cm

  Stem hair distribution

  the hairs on the stem are distributed more of less uniformly

  Stem orientation

  • the stems are upright or angled outwards
  • the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips

  Stem spacing

  the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together

  Stem succulence

  the stems are not succulent

  Tendril origin

  NA

  Tendrils

  the plant does not have tendrils

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae