Geranium carolinianum

This native annual plant is about 1' tall, branching occasionally at the base and along the stems. Sometimes the lower stems sprawl along the ground. These stems are round and covered with white hairs. They often become reddish brown as they mature. The opposite leaves are about 3" long and across. They are palmate, having 3-9 primary lobes. Their margins have coarse, but widely spaced teeth, or additional secondary lobes. The leaves often have a greyish green appearance because of a fine pubescence. Their petioles are usually long and hairy. The flowers occur on short pedicels in small clusters. They are about 1/3" across, and have 5 petals. Their color varies from dull white to light pink. The dull green sepals are lanceolate with elongated tips, and nearly as long as the petals. The blooming period occurs from early to late summer, and lasts about a month. There is no noticeable floral scent. The seeds develop within a long narrow beak about 1" long, hence the common name of this plant. Eventually this beak splits open and flings the seeds. The surface of the seeds is finely reticulated. The root system consists of a central taproot. Cultivation

The Carolina Cranesbill is smaller and less showy than the native woodland species, Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium). It is similar in appearance to several other annual Geranium spp. from Europe, all of them rather weedy plants. One distinctive characteristic of the Carolina Cranesbill is the shortness of the pedicels (flowering stalks), which are less than half as long as the sepals of the flowers. Thus, the flowers of this plant occur in rather tight clusters. The leaves are also more likely to have secondary lobes, and they are quite large in relation to the overall size of this plant. A similar native species, Geranium bicknellii (Northern Cranesbill), has a more northern distribution. This plant has deep pink flowers, and the beak-shaped fruit has a longer awn at its apex than the corresponding fruit of the Carolina Cranesbill. Return

The Carolina Cranesbill occurs frequently in the southern half of Illinois, and occasionally elsewhere within the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include rather dry open woodland areas, upland areas of clay prairies, gravel prairies, limestone glades, pastures and abandoned fields, lawns and roadsides, and miscellaneous waste areas. This species responds positively to occasional fires.

Geranium carolinianum L.:
Bolivia (South America)
Brazil (South America)
Canada (North America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
Peru (South America)
United Kingdom (Europe)
United States (North America)
China (Asia)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Naturalized in Anhui, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, S Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan (Yanyuan), Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [native to North America].

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Annuals. Stem 10-65(-70) cm tall, erect, not rooting at nodes, with abundant 0.2-1.1 mm patent to retrorse nonglandular trichomes and scattered 0.2-0.7 mm patent glandular trichomes. Stipules lanceolate to subulate, distinct. Leaves 1-3 alternate but opposite at inflorescence; petiole with usually 0.2-1.1 mm patent nonglandular trichomes and scattered glandular trichomes; leaf blade 2.2-6.5 cm, palmately cleft, ratio of main sinus/middle segment length = 0.7-0.9, pilose with appressed nonglandular trichomes; segments 5(or 7), rhombic, 2-5 mm wide at base, 5-12-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.27-0.31. Cymules in dense aggregates at apex of each branch or solitary in forks, 2(or 3)-flowered; peduncle 0-2.5(-6) cm. Pedicel 3-11 mm, with 0.2-0.7 mm patent or sometimes retrorse but not appressed nonglandular trichomes and 0.3-0.6 mm patent glandular trichomes; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals 5-6.5 mm, mucro 1.5-2 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = ca. 0.3, outside with 0.1-0.6 mm antrorse to patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.2-0.5 mm patent glandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals white or pale purple, 5.5-6 mm, erect to patent, inside glabrous, margin basally ciliate, apex rounded or slightly notched. Staminal filaments whitish, lanceolate to lanceolate with an abruptly narrowed apex, abaxially sparsely pilose and basal half ciliate, trichomes 0.1-0.3 mm; anthers yellowish, 0.4-0.6 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma pinkish. Fruit 1.9-2.5 cm, erect when immature; mericarps smooth, with a basal callus, with 0.5-1.8 mm patent to antrorse nonglandular trichomes and sometimes 0.4-1 mm patent glandular trichomes; rostrum 1.5-1.9 cm, with a 1-2 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 0.7-1.4 mm. Seeds 2-2.2 mm. Fl. Apr-Jul, fr. May-Sep. 2n = 46-48, 52.

The Carolina Cranesbill occurs frequently in the southern half of Illinois, and occasionally elsewhere within the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include rather dry open woodland areas, upland areas of clay prairies, gravel prairies, limestone glades, pastures and abandoned fields, lawns and roadsides, and miscellaneous waste areas. This species responds positively to occasional fires.

Plains, weedy areas; sea level to 800 m.

The flowers are visited occasionally by long-tongued bees (Megachile spp.), short-tongued bees (Halictid), and flower flies (Syrphid), which seek nectar primarily. The seeds are eaten by the Mourning Dove. Photographic Location

Geranium carolinianum (Carolina Cranesbill)
(Bees suck nectar or collect pollen; other insects suck nectar; one observation is from Krombein et al. as indicated below, otherwise observations are from Robertson)

Bees (long-tongued)
Anthomyiidae (Eucerini): Synhalonia speciosa sn; Megachilidae (Osmiini): Hoplitis pilosifrons sn fq, Osmia conjuncta sn

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Agapostemon sericea sn cp, Augochlorella striata sn cp fq, Lasioglossum imitatus sn cp, Lasioglossum pectoralis sn cp fq, Lasioglossum tegularis sn cp ; Colletidae (Hylaeinae): Hylaeus affinis sn; Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena personata (Kr); Andrenidae (Panurginae): Heterosarus parvus sn cp

Wasps
Vespidae (Eumeninae): Stenodynerus oculeus

Flies
Syrphidae: Toxomerus marginatus fq; Tachinidae: Phasia purpurascens

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 3
Specimens with Barcodes: 7
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure