Cranesbill | The Species of Britain

[162] Geranium robertianum, Herb Robert and Others

Introduction

Following yesterday’s post, this post will consider the wild species Geranium robertianum, Herb Robert, and all other Geranium species. Herb Robert (or Herb-Robert) may also be called Red Robin, Stinking Bob, Robert’s Geranium or several other names.

There are over four hundred species of Geranium and many hybrids and cultivars. They are generally called cranesbills or hardy geraniums. Confusingly most species of Pelargonium, a closely related genus, are also known as geraniums.

[I will use the word cranesbill throughout where other orthography includes crane’s-bill or other variations.]

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Geraniales

Family – Geraniaceae

Genus – Geranium

Scientific Names – Geranium robertianum and see Text

There are too many species, hybrids and cultivars to list.

Name

See [161] Meadow Cranesbill, for the names Cranesbill and Geanium.

Herb Robertwas named after Robert of Molesme (1028-1111) was an abbot and herbalist, one of the founders of the Cistercian Monks, later canonized as a saint.

When first named by Linnaeus the genus Geranium included all the species now known as Pelargonium, which were split off in 1789. (Pelargonium is derived from the Greek pelargos meaning Stork by analogy with the derivation of Geranium and some Pelargoniums are known as Storksbills.)

Horticultural usage tends to go by the genus, without bothering too much about species, and it is slow to adjust to changes. So many of the thousands of species, hybrids, cultivars and varieties of Pelargonium are still informally called Geranium.

Herb Robert

Geranium robertianum is common and widespread in Great Britain and native to most of Europe and eastern North America. It is found in woodland and hedgerows.

Its leaves are convoluted but smaller and simpler than the two species we met yesterday. Stems are reddish and the leaves turn red in late summer. The flowers are small and pink with five petals.

As for almost all common plants it has been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years – to treat diarrhoea, toothache and nosebleeds; and to improve the functions of the liver and gallbladder.

Oxford Geranium

Geranium x oxonianum is a hybrid species originating from a cross between Geranium endressii and Geranium versicolor in 1932

It has attractive almost round, pink flowers, often veined, and is cultivated in gardens. Several cultivars are available.

Other Geranium Species

In the wild, you may also see Geranium molle, Dove’s-foot Cranesbill; Geranium sanguineum, Bloody Cranesbill; Geranium purpureum, Little-Robin or about forty other species that are native to Britain or naturalized. There are also many cultivated species.

See Also

There are about three hundred species of Pelargonium, a closely related genus (sometimes called Geraniums.) Most are not hardy so may be more common as house plants, but many are cultivated in gardens.

[161] Geranium pratense, Meadow Cranesbill and Others

Introduction

Geranium will be one of the most difficult genera to cover. This post will consider the wild species Geranium pratense, Meadow Cranesbill and Geranium pyrenaicum, Hedgerow Cranesbill, both of which are common and widespread. Tomorrow I will look at the rest.

[I will use the word cranesbill throughout where other orthography includes crane’s-bill or other variations.]

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Geraniales

Family – Geraniaceae

Genus – Geranium

Scientific Names – Various. See Text

There are too many species, hybrids and cultivars to list.

Name

Cranesbill comes from the shape of the fruit of some species. See [166] Crane.

The Ancient Greek geranos means the Crane.

Geraniaceae

The Geranium family has about 800 species, almost all of which are in the genera Geranium, Pelargonium and Erodium. All three of these were originally categorized as Geranium. (Erodium gets its name from Herons, just as the other two come from Cranes and Storks!)

Geranium pratense, Meadow Cranesbill

Geranium pratense is native to much of Europe and Asia and widely naturalized elsewhere. It is sometimes called Meadow Geranium or Common Geranium. It is a low-growing perennial, common and widespread as a wild flower. (Pratense means meadow.)

Leaves are deeply lobed and convoluted in shape.

Flowers are open, flat and have various shades of blue. It is widely cultivated and is available in various cultivars.

I’m afraid I can’t identify the insect on the last picture but is probably a kind of bee.

Geranium pyrenaicum, Hedgerow Cranesbill

Also known as Mountain Cranesbill, Geranium pyrenaicum is commonly found on verges and hedgerows. It is probably an introduced species, having come originally from the mountains of the Pyrenees, Alps and Caucasus.

It is quite similar with paler, lilac flowers. The petals are notched giving the impression of ten instead of five. Leaves are smaller and less convoluted. This species is also available as a cultivated plant.