PELARGONIUM lucidum.
Glossy-leaved Stork's-bill.
P. lucidum, foliis cordatis subquinquelobis bullato-rugosis
cartilagineo-dentatis supra nitidis margine ciliato-sca-
bris, umbellis plurifloris, petalis obovato -ovalibus, tubo
nectarifero calyce subsequali.
Stem frutescent, erect, branching: branches clothed
with short horizontally spreading hairs. Leaves large, cordate,
generally slightly 5-lobed, very often deformed, rugose
or blistered, and toothed with long horny sharp teeth,
the margins very rough, being ciliated with hard cartilaginous
short fringe, slightly pubescent, the upper side of a
glossy green, underneath paler, but also glossy. Petioles
slightly flattened on the upper side, and rounded on the
lower, clothed with spreading unequal hairs. Stipules variable,
ovate or lanceolate, tapering to a point, rigid, ciliate. Peduncles nearly cylindrical, clothed with unequal spreading
villous hairs. Involucre of about 6 ovate acute fringed
bractes. Umbels several-flowered. Pedicles longer than
the bractes, thickly clothed with spreading villous hairs, as
is the calyx and nectariferous tube. Calyon 5-cleft, segments
long, lanceolate, acute, the points a little reflexed. Petals 5, very large, the upper ones broadly obovate, unequal
sided, white tinged with blush, and a dark purple
spot in the centre, below which are several short dark purple
lines, more or less branched: lower petals narrower,
obovately oval, white, veined underneath, the veins branched.
Filaments 10, united at the base, 7 bearing anthers. Style bright purple, smooth throughout. Stigmas 5, purple,
revolute and fimbriate.
VOL. IV. u