PELARGONIUM peramplum.
Very large-flowered Stork’ s-bill.
P . peramplum, foliis rotundato-reniformibus obsolete lo-
batis undulatis ineequaliter dentatis supra glabrius-
culis subtus nervisque pilosis, stipulis ovatis acutis,
pedunculis plurifloris, bracteis pedicellis subeequan-
tibus, tubo nectarifero calyce acuminato subaequali,
stylo ad medium hirsute.
Stem frutescent, hard and woody near the base, not
much branched: branches glossy, but thickly clothed
with long spreading hairs, somewhat flexuose. Leaves
of a round kidney form, more or less undulate, slightly
lobed, unequally toothed with sharp rigid horny teeth,
strongly and numerously nerved underneath, the nerves
much branched; upper side smooth, or but slightly
hairy; underneath hairy, particularly on the nerves. Petioles flattened on the upper side and convex underneath,
dilated at the base. Stipules ovate or ovately
lanceolate, sharp-pointed, sometimes toothed, villosely
hairy. Umbels 4 to 5-flowered. Peduncles cylindrical,
swollen a little, and transparent at the base. Involucre
of 6 or 7 ovate, taper-pointed, villous bractes. Pedicles
about equal in length with the bractes. Calyx 5-cleft,
of a purplish brown; the segments lanceolate, taper-
pointed, reflexed when in flower, keeled, villosely hairy;
the upper one rather largest, three-nerved. Nectariferous
tube about the length of the calyx, flattened on each
side. Flowers very large and spreading, of a lilac blush. Petals 5, of a pale bluish lilac; the two upper ones
ovate, very unequal-sided, marked from the base with
numerous dark purple branched lines, but no spot:
VOL. i. k.