叉枝老鹳草 cha zhi lao guan cao

Annuals. Stem 20-50 cm tall, erect, not rooting at nodes, with 1-3 mm patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.2-0.5 mm patent glandular and nonglandular trichomes. Stipules lanceolate, distinct. Leaves alternate; petiole with 1-2.8 mm patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.2-0.5 mm glandular and nonglandular trichomes; leaf blade 2.5-7 cm, palmately cleft, ratio of main sinus/middle segment length = 0.65-0.85, pilose with ± appressed nonglandular and glandular trichomes; segments 5(or 7), rhombic, 4-9 mm wide at base, 7-12(-15)-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.16-0.26. Cymules solitary, 2-flowered; peduncle 0.6-3.5 cm. Pedicel 1-2.8 cm, with 1-2.5 mm patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.2-0.5 mm patent glandular and nonglandular trichomes; bracteoles lanceolate. Sepals 4-4.5 mm, mucro 0.7-1 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = 0.17-0.22, outside with 0.2-0.8 mm patent nonglandular trichomes and 0.3-0.7 mm patent glandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals bright purple, 4-6.5 mm, erect to patent, margin basally ciliate or not, apex emarginate with a ca. 1 mm notch. Staminal filaments white, lanceolate, abaxially pilose and proximal half ciliate, trichomes 0.1-0.2 mm; anthers purple, 0.4-0.6 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma pale pink. Fruit 7-11 mm, erect when immature; mericarps with 3 or 4 transverse ribs, without a basal callus, with 0.2-0.5 mm appressed nonglandular trichomes, base not ciliate; rostrum 5-8 mm, without a narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 0.5-1 mm. Seeds 2.4-2.6 mm. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jun-Jul. 2n = 28.

Slopes of lower mountains, plains; 900-1200 m. N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; W Asia, Europe].

The poorly developed rostrum is a good feature to identify Geranium divaricatum, as it is not shared by any other species from this area. This short and thin rostrum reduces the effectiveness of the seed discharge mechanism.