PELARGONIUM conchyllatum.
Violet purple Stork’s-bill.
P. conchyllatum, foliis cordato-reniformibus rotundatis
inaequaliter argute dentatis utrinque pilosis, stipulis
ovatis mucronatis subdentatis, umbellis subsexfloris,
calycibus villosissimis, tubo nectarifero calyce sub
sequali, stylo basi subhirsuto.
Stem frutescent, stout, erect, producing many branches,
that are densely clothed with spreading villous
hairs. Leaves large, about the same length as breadth,
cordately reniform, rounded at the ends, somewhat hollow
at the base, toothed with numerous rigid horny
teeth, that are very unequal in length, those terminating
the largest nerves very long, and at last become recurved,
all tipped with a pale yellow spot. Petioles stout,
flattened and slightly furrowed on the upper side, convex
underneath, thickly clothed with spreading white
hairs. Stipules ovate, sometimes toothed with long sharp
teeth, others are entire. Umbels in general, 6-flowered,
but varying from 5 to 7. Peduncles rather long, cylindrical,
more or less bent, villosely hairy. Involucrum of
several broadly ovate bractes, that are terminated by a
sharp mucrone, and frequently deeply toothed, villous. Pedicles longer than the bractes. Calyx 5-parted, the
segments unequal in size, of a brownish purple, all
tapering to a slender point, and densely clothed with
long white shaggy hairs: upper one largest, ovate, erect:
the others lanceolate, spreading or the points reflexed. Petals 5 ; the two upper ones broadly obovate, rounded
at the ends, tapering very much towards the base,
scarcely unequal-sided, of a brilliant violet purple,