PELARGONIUM lepidum.
Pretty Stork’s-bill.
P. lepidum, umbellis subquadrifloris, foliis inferioribus
cordatis subquinquelobis undulatis insequaliter cre-
nato-dentatis hirsutis; superioribus ovatis basi cu-
neatis, stipulis cordato-ovatis acutis subdentatis,
tubo nectarifero calyce reflexo multo breviori.
Stem shrubby, much branched; branches spreading,
thickly clothed with long shaggy hairs. Leaves on the
lower part of the stem cordate, 5-lobed, undulate, unequally
toothed with rigid bluntish teeth, covered on
each side with unequal villous hairs; upper leaves
ovate, not lobed, cuneate at the base, more sharply
toothed. Petioles flattened and furrowed on the upper
side and convex on the lower, widened at the base,
thickly covered with unequal villous hairs, as are the
peduncles and calyx. Stipules short, cordately ovate,
acute, ciliate, sometimes toothed. Peduncles long and
slender, generally 4-flowered. Involucre of six short ovate
bractes that are keeled and ciliate. Pedicles very unequal
in length, some nearly twice as long as the
others. Calyx 5-cleft, segments lanceolate, acute, all
reflexed when the flowers are expanded. Nectariferous
tube nearly twice shorter than the calyx, flattened on
each side. Petals 5, of a pale pink colour, the two
upper ones obovate, oblique at the base, stained with
red in the centre, from which and the base branch several
pale red lines: lower petals oblong, obtuse, of
rather a paler colour. Filaments 10, connected at the
base, 7 bearing anthers. Pollen orange-coloured.
Germen and aristae villous. Style pale pink, very
hairy. Stigmas 5, purple, reflexed.