Erodium brachycarpum
Encyclopedia
Erodium brachycarpum is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family
known by the common name shortfruit stork's bill. It is native to southern Europe but it is known elsewhere as an introduced species
and often a weed, such as the west coast of the United States where it is widespread in California
and Oregon
. This annual herb grows up to about half a meter tall and bears lobed, hairy, petioled
leaves with blades up to 10 centimeters wide. The inflorescence
is an umbel
of lavender flowers with five petals each about a centimeter long and often dark-striped. They are like those borne by the similar stork's bill Erodium botrys
. The fruit has a hairy base just over half a centimeter long and a style which may reach 8 centimeters in length.
Geraniaceae
Geraniaceae is a family of flowering plants placed in the order Geraniales. The family name is derived from the genus Geranium. It includes both the genus Geranium and the garden plants called geraniums, which modern botany classifies as genus Pelargonium, along with other related genera.There are...
known by the common name shortfruit stork's bill. It is native to southern Europe but it is known elsewhere as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
and often a weed, such as the west coast of the United States where it is widespread in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. This annual herb grows up to about half a meter tall and bears lobed, hairy, petioled
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
leaves with blades up to 10 centimeters wide. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is an umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
of lavender flowers with five petals each about a centimeter long and often dark-striped. They are like those borne by the similar stork's bill Erodium botrys
Erodium botrys
Erodium botrys is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names long-beaked stork's bill and broadleaf filaree. This is a weedy annual herb which is native to much of Eurasia and North Africa but is found in many other areas of the world as an introduced species,...
. The fruit has a hairy base just over half a centimeter long and a style which may reach 8 centimeters in length.