PELARGONIUM congestum.
Close-headed Stork's-bill.
P. congestum, ramis flexuosis patentibus, foliis cordatis
plicato-lobatis crenato-dentatis utrinque villoso-pilosis,
umbellis multifloris capitatis congestis, calycibus reflexis
villosis, petalis spathulatis, tubo nectarifero subsessili
calyce duplo breviore.
Pelargonium congestum. Swt. hort. hr it. addenda.
Stem shrubby, branching: branches spreading, flexu-
ose, thickly clothed with spreading unequal villous hairs,
as is every other part of the plant except the corolla. Leaves cordate, broader than long, plicately lobed, undulate
; lower ones 7 to 9-lobed; upper ones 3 to 5-lobed,
stron'gly nerved underneath, the nerves much branched; lobes bluntly rounded, broad and flat, overlapping each
other, crenate, or toothed with very short but rigid teeth. Petioles a little flattened on the upper side, and rounded
on the lower, thickened at the base and point. Stipules
cordate, acute, sometimes toothed, reflexed. Peduncles
very long and stout, cylindrical. Umbels many-flowered,
in a close compact head. Involucre of many ovate or
oblong bluntish fringed bractes, about the length of the
nectariferous tube. Flowers sessile, or nearly so. Calyx
5-cleft, segments oblong or oblongly lanceolate, scarcely
acute, reflexed. Nectariferous tube very short, about half
the length of the calyx. Petals 5, all spathulate, the 2
upper ones broadest, of a bright purple, with a large dark
patch in the centre, edged with red, and betwixt it and the
base are some dark lines shortly branched, strongly 2-nerved
at the back, the nerves branched; lower petals of rather a
lighter purple, 2-nerved at the back. Filaments 10, united
at the base, 7 bearing anthers, the 3 sterile ones elongated
VOL. IV. H