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| Erodium botrys |
| Family: Geraniaceae (Geranium) |
| Flowers — color: magenta, size: 3/8", type: 5 petals |
Five pale magenta petals and five green sepals, 3/8" dia. The flowers produce very long, spiky seeds, hence one nickname of Stork's-bill.
Habit:
Broad Leaf Filaree has a basal rosette of broad leaves. Each leaf is deeply notched, almost to the point of seeming pinnate, and the edges have many teeth. The terms erodium and geranium derive from the Greek words for crane and heron, referring to the resemblance of the seeds and the bills of these birds. The sticky hairs on the seeds and the way the 'beak' coils and unfurls with humidity changes seem to help drive the seed into loose soil.
Non-native with world-wide distribution. This hardy weed prefers disturbed ground. I initially confused this plant with red stemmed filaree, which has more erect form and finer leaves.