Geranium sylvaticum, L.

8. G. sylvaticum L. View in CoL View at ENA , Sp. Pl. 681 (1753).

Perennial, with stout, oblique rhizome. Stems 20-60 cm, erect, with variable indumentum. Leaves 5-12 cm wide, divided for 80-95 % of the radius into 5-7 ovate, dentate to pinnatisect lobes. Inflorescence more or less compact, with suberect branches; pedicels remaining erect after flowering. Sepals 6-12 mm; petals 6-18 mm, obovate, entire, variable in colour. Mericarps hirsute, without ridges. Most of Europe, but only on mountains in the south, and absent from many islands. Al Au Be Br Bu Cz Da Fa Fe Ga Ge Gr Hb He Hs Hu Is It Ju No Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, E) Su [Ho].

The taxa recognized below as subspecies are often very distinct in particular regions, but in view of the great variability of (a) their satisfactory diagnosis, on a continental scale, as separate species, is not possible on the information available.

1 Petals white with red veins; pedicels without glandular hairs

(b) subsp. rivulare 1 Petals blue, purple or lilac, rarely white, not red-veined

2 Leaves dividedfor less than 90 % of the radius; lobes dentate

or shortly pinnatifid; petals usually reddish-purple

(a) subsp. sylvaticum 2 Leavesdividedfor morethan90 % ofthe radius;lobes deeply pinnatifid or pinnatisect; petals blue, violet or lilac

3 Petals 13-18 mm, bright violet-blue; pedicels without glan­ dular hairs (c) subsp. caeruleatum 3 Petals 6-15 mm, pale blue to lilac; pedicels with or without glandular hairs (d) subsp. pseudosibiricum