Annual. Basal leaves ovate-oblong, deeply 3-7-lobed or pinnatifid, segments often lobed. Cauline leaves often bipinnatisect. Bracts suborbicular, glabrous to membranous. Sepal awn 1-1.5 mm long. Petals c. 2 times the size of sepals. Beak 3.5-6 cm long. Mericarps c. 3 mm long, without a furrow below the eglandular pits.

Type: Africa, Mauritania, de Jussieu (MA).

Distribution: N. Africa, Meditterranean region, Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Baluchistan and North Waziristan in Pakistan.

The species is reported from N. Waziristan by Blatter & Fernandez (Spinwam fort, 800 m, Blatter & Fernandez; Boya, 1060 m, Blatter & Fernandez; Schonbeck-Temesy, l.c. 55), but these specimens have not been seen.

Specimen No. 1084 collected by M. Qaiser et al. seems to fit the description of the subsp. pulverulentum (Erodium laciniatum (Cay.) Willd. var. pulverulentum Boiss.), which is recognised in other parts of its range by the plants having white appressed hairs, pubescent bracts and smaller sepals. More collection is desirable for further study.