Geraniaceae: Geranium Family — Erodium (Filaree)
Members of the Geranium family have regular flowers, with 5 sepals and petals, and ten stamens. Their leaves are either lobed or compound. The family gets its name from the Greek geranos meaning crane. They are often known as crane’s bills, because of the long “beaks” of the fruits. The two most common members of this family Geranium family are Erodium and Geranium, most of which are imports from Eurasia. Cultivated members are usually Pelargonium.
This page shows the genus Erodium. All its species are pink-flowered, and have similar shaped fruits, resembling a Crane’s Bill or Heron’s Bill.
Long-beaked Filaree – Erodium botrys
Blooms:
Mar–July
Plant Height:
10–90 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Southern Europe
Habitat:
Dry, open or disturbed sites
Notes:
This Erodium is deeper pink than the others, and the flower is more cup shaped, with broader petals and dark-pink striping. It is very similar to Foothill Filaree (Erodium brachycarpum, see below). A distinctive feature is that one of the five sepals always has a dark red stripe on its margins. The fruits of this species are also noticeably longer (5–12 cm) than in the other Erodiums. Leaves are lobed or dissected, with the reddish veins clearly visible in the younger leaves, which can form a dense rosette.
Foothill Filaree – Erodium brachycarpum
Blooms:
Mar–July
Plant Height:
10–60 cm
Flower Size:
Medium
Origin:
Southern Europe
Habitat:
Grassy slopes
Notes:
This is very similar to Long-beaked Filaree (Erodium botrys, see above), and is easily mistaken for it. Close examination of the pedicel will reveal one of the two differences. The hairs are shorter and straighter, and many are clearly glandular. The hairs on the stem of Long-beaked Filaree are longer, curved upwards, and not glandular. The picture in the middle shows the Foothill Filaree, the one on the right shows the Long-beaked Filaree for comparison of hairs. Another difference (which requires good magnification and some practice to see) is found in the base of the fruits, where this species has rounded pits, subtended by 1–2 hairy ridges.
Red-stemmed Filaree – Erodium cicutarium
Blooms:
Feb–Sept
Plant Height:
10–50 cm
Flower Size:
Small
Origin:
Eurasia
Invasive?
Yes – limited
Habitat:
Open, disturbed sites, grassland
Notes:
This is even more common than Long-beaked Filaree (Erodium botrys, see above), though a little less conspicuous because of its smaller size. Despite being an invasive weed, it has pretty pink flowers with ovate, clearly separated pink petals. Stems are slender and reddish, which by itself allows the species to be differentiated from White-stemmed Filaree (Erodium moschatum, see below). White-stemmed flowers are similar, but have fatter, greenish-white stems. Fruits are similar to those of Long-beaked Filaree, but smaller (4–7 cm). Leaves are pinnate, with deeply lobed or divided segments.
White-stemmed Filaree – Erodium moschatum
Blooms:
Feb–Sept
Plant Height:
10–60 cm
Flower Size:
Small
Origin:
Europe
Habitat:
Open, disturbed sites, often in heavy or damp soils
Notes:
The flowers of this species are very similar to Red-stemmed Filaree (Erodium cicutarium, see above). However, it has fatter, greenish-white stems, which distinguishes it from the slender reddish stems of Red-stemmed Filaree. The peduncles also typically have a larger number of flowers. Fruits are very similar, though a little smaller (4–6 cm). Leaves are are lobed or shallowly divided.
