1. Geranium. Stamens with anthers 10, rarely 5. The recurving bases of the styles or tails of the carpels in fruit naked inside.
2. Erodium. Stamens with anthers only 5. Tails of the carpels in fruit bearded inside, often spirally twisted.
Tribe II. LIMNÁNTHEÆ. Flowers regular, 3-merous (in Flœrkea), the persistent sepals valvate. Glands alternate with the petals. Stamens distinct. Carpels nearly distinct, with a common style, 1-ovuled, 1-seeded, at length fleshy and indehiscent, not beaked, separating from the very short axis. Embryo straight, cotyledons very thick, radicle very short.--Low tender annuals, with alternate pinnate leaves and no stipules.
3. Flœrkea. Sepals, minute pistils, and lobes of the ovary 3, stamens 6.
Tribe III. OXALÍDEÆ. (SORREL FAMILY.) Flowers regular, 5-merous, the persistent sepals imbricate. Glands none. Stamens 10, often united at base. Stigmas capitate. Fruit a 5-celled loculicidal pod (in Oxalis); cells 2--several-seeded. Embryo straight, in a little fleshy albumen.--Leaves compound (3-foliolate in our species); juice sour.
4. Oxalis. Styles 5, separate. Pod oblong, the valves not falling away. Leaflets usually obcordate.
Tribe IV. BALSAMÍNEÆ. (BALSAM FAMILY.) Flowers irregular (5-merous as to the stamens and pistil); the petals and colored sepals fewer in number, deciduous, the larger sepal with a large sac or spur. Glands none. Stamens 5, distinct, short. Fruit a fleshy 5-celled pod (in Impatiens), cells several-seeded. Embryo straight.--Tender and very succulent herbs, with simple leaves and no stipules.
5. Impatiens. Lateral petals unequally 2-lobed. Pod bursting elastically into 5 valves.
Stamens 10 (sometimes only 5 in n. 3), all with perfect anthers, the 5 longer with glands at their base (alternate with the petals). Styles smooth inside in fruit when they separate from the axis.--Stems forking. Peduncles 1--3-flowered. (An old Greek name from γέρανος, _a crane_, the long fruit bearing beak thought to resemble the bill of that bird.)
1. G. maculàtum, L. (WILD CRANESBILL.) Stem erect, hairy; leaves about 5-parted, the wedge-shaped divisions lobed and cut at the end, sepals slender-pointed, petals entire, light purple, bearded on the claw (½´ long).--Open woods and fields. April--July.--Leaves somewhat blotched with whitish as they grow old.