Geranium robertianum

Annual or biennial, erect, up to 60 cm or more tall, pubescent-glandular. Leaves trisect, 30-40 x 30-75 mm, 3-5-angled; segments pinnatipartite, lobulate; lobules obtuse, mucronate, sparsely pilose; petiole 1.8-44 cm long, pubescent villous; stipules 2-3 mm long, broadly ovate, subacuminate. Peduncles 2-flowered, glandular or villous. Sepals 5-7 mm long, ovate or oblong-ovate, villous-glandular, awn c. 2 mm long. Petals c. twice as long as sepals, 3-nerved, reddish-pink, limb obovate, tapering towards the base. Beak 8-11 mm long, glabrous. Mericarps glabrous. Seed 2 mm long, elliptic-oblong, reddish-brown, umbo slightly projecting, black.

Biennials or sometimes annuals. Stem 10-55 cm tall, erect, not rooting at nodes, with 0.4-1 mm ± patent glandular trichomes. Stipules ovate, distinct. Leaves opposite; petiole with 0.3-0.5 mm retrorse not appressed nonglandular trichomes and 0.4-2.4 mm patent glandular trichomes; leaf blade 3-9 cm, palmately divided, pilose with ± appressed glandular trichomes; segments 5, rhombic, with a petiolule on middle segment 0.2-0.4 × as long as its segment, 16-46-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.26-0.5. Cymules solitary, 2-flowered; peduncle 1-6 cm. Pedicel 0.5-2 cm, with 0.4-1.5 mm patent glandular trichomes and 0.3-0.5 mm retrorse not appressed nonglandular trichomes; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals 6-8 mm, mucro 1.8-2.5 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = ca. 0.3, outside with 0.3-0.5 mm ± patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.4-3.2 mm patent glandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals purplish, 7.5-9.7(-10.4) mm, erect to patent, glabrous, apex rounded. Staminal filaments pinkish, lanceolate with an abruptly narrowed apex, glabrous; anthers purplish, 0.4-0.6 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma pinkish. Fruit 1.9-2.3 cm, erect when immature; mericarps reticulate, ridges sparse and scarcely anastomosing in basal half but denser apically and forming 1 or 2(or 3) overlapping collar-like keels at apex, without a basal callus, glabrous or sometimes with ca. 0.2 mm nonglandular trichomes, small glands, or both; rostrum 1.7-1.9 cm, with a 4-5 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 1-1.3 mm. Seeds 2.1-2.2 mm. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. May-Aug. 2n = 64.

2100 m

Herb-Robert occurs as either an annual or biennial herb. The flowers, which are present from June to October are pollinated by a range of insects (6)(2). The flowers are able to self-fertilise if they are not pollinated (2).  This familiar plant has been put to various uses through the centuries. The leaves have been rubbed onto the skin in order to repel biting insects (although the strong scent is highly disagreeable and likely to repel more than insects!). The plant has been used to obtain a brown dye, and in folk medicine it has been used as an anti-rheumatic, a diuretic and and to treat jaundice and stop bleeding. Recent research has shown that the plant may lower blood sugar levels, and so it has potential as a treatment for diabetes (6).

Herb-Robert is a ubiquitous sprawling plant well-known for its strong disagreeable mousy smell and its cheerful bright pink flowers (4).This odour is referred to by the local names stinking Robert and stinky Bob (4). In folklore it is the plant belonging to the mischievous house goblin Robin Goodfellow (the name Robin is a diminutive of Robert) (5). This leafy plant is generally hairy, with bright green finely divided leaves and reddish-tinged stems (2). It has many varied local names including bloodwort, which reflects the use of the plant in folk medicine to staunch blood flow (5). Although the petals are usually bright pink, white forms arise in some areas (2).

Biennials or sometimes annuals. Stem 10-55 cm tall, erect, not rooting at nodes, with patent glandular trichomes. Stipules ovate, distinct. Leaves opposite; petiole with retrorse not appressed nonglandular trichomes and patent glandular trichomes; leaf blade 3-9 cm long, palmately divided, pilose with glandular trichomes; segments 5, rhombic, with a petiolule on middle segment, 16-40-lobed in distal half. Cymules solitary, 2-flowered; peduncle 1-6 cm long. Pedicel 0.5-2 cm long; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals 6-8 mm long, mucro 1.8-2.5 mm, outside with 0.3-0.5 mm ± patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.4-3.2 mm patent glandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals purplish, 7.5-10 mm long, erect to patent, glabrous, apex rounded. Staminal filaments pinkish, lanceolate with an abruptly narrowed apex, glabrous; anthers purplish, 0.4-0.6 mm long. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma pinkish. Fruit 1.9-2.5 cm long, erect when immature; mericarps reticulate, ridges sparse and scarcely anastomosing in basal half but denser apically and forming 1-2-overlapping collar-like keels at apex, without a basal callus, glabrous or sometimes with nonglandular trichomes, small glands, or both; rostrum 1.7-1.9 cm long, with a 4-5 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 1-1.3 mm. Seeds 2.1-2.2 mm.

Geranium robertianum L.:
Canada (North America)
Japan (Asia)
Kyrgyzstan (Asia)
Kazakhstan (Asia)
Nepal (Asia)
Pakistan (Asia)
South Korea (Asia)
Tajikistan (Asia)
Turkmenistan (Asia)
United States (North America)
Bolivia (South America)
China (Asia)
Uzbekistan (Asia)
Russian Federation (Asia)
Chile (South America)
Brazil (South America)

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.

Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Africa, W Asia, Europe].

Geranium robertianum is occurring in Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang of China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Africa, W Asia, Europe.

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Common throughout Britain up to altitudes of 700m. It also occurs in Europe with the exception of the far north, in temperate parts of Asia reaching Japan and the Himalayas, as well as North Africa, where it is a rare species found in the mountains (2). It has been introduced widely outside of this native range, and has become naturalised in North and South America (2) (3).

Distribution: N. America, Canary Islands, C. & S. Europe, Turkey, Iran, Caucasus, Siberia, C. Asia and W. Himalayas.

Europe, C. Asia, Himalaya (Kashmir to Nepal), Siberia, east to China and Japan, America.

Geranium eriophorum H. Léveillé.

Forests; 900-3300 m.

Growing in forest; 1000-3500 m.

This plant is able to tolerate shade, and often occurs close to human habitation (5) (3). Typical habitats favoured by this species include woodlands, hedgerows, coastal shingle and shaded banks. It also thrives in artificial sites that are subject to disturbance (3).

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / miner
larva of Agromyza nigrescens mines live leaf of Geranium robertianum
Remarks: season: summer

Foodplant / parasite
epiphyllous, superficial pseudothecium of Coleroa robertiani parasitises live, esp. over-wintered leaf of Geranium robertianum
Remarks: season: 5-9
Other: sole host/prey

Plant / associate
adult of Dicyphus errans is associated with live Geranium robertianum
Remarks: season: 6-10

Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Limobius borealis grazes on leaf of Geranium robertianum
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
Podosphaera fugax parasitises live Geranium robertianum

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Protoemphytus carpini feeds on leaf of Geranium robertianum
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / sap sucker
Rhopalus subrufus sucks sap of Geranium robertianum

Foodplant / parasite
hypophyllous telium of Uromyces geranii parasitises live leaf of Geranium robertianum

Flowering from April to June; fruiting from May to August.

Fl. Per.: May-June.

The chromosomal number of Geranium robertianum is 2n = 64 (Arohonka, 1982; Laane and Lie, 1985; Lövkvist and Hultgård, 1999).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 9
Specimens with Barcodes: 17
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Not threatened (3).

This plant is not threatened.

Conservation action is not required for this species at present.