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''Pelargonium'' () is a
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s that includes about 280
species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
s,
succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
s, and
shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...
s, commonly called geraniums, pelargoniums, or storksbills. '' Geranium'' is also the botanical name and common name of a separate genus of related plants, also known as cranesbills. Both genera belong to the family Geraniaceae, and
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...
originally included all the species in one genus, ''Geranium''; they were later separated into two genera by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle in 1789. While ''Geranium'' species are mostly
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
herbaceous plants, dying down in winter, ''Pelargonium'' species are evergreen perennials indigenous to warm temperate and tropical regions of the world, with many species in southern Africa. They are drought and heat tolerant but can tolerate only minor frosts. Some species are extremely popular garden plants, grown as houseplants and
bedding Bedding, also called bedclothes or bed linen, is the materials laid above the mattress of a bed for hygiene, warmth, protection of the mattress, and decorative effect. Bedding is the removable and washable portion of a human sleeping environment ...
plants in
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
regions. They have a long flowering period, with flowers mostly in red, orange, or white, but intensive breeding has produced a huge array of
cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...
s with great variety in size, flower colour, leaf form and aromatic foliage.


Description

''Pelargonium'' occurs in a large number of growth forms, including
herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...
annuals,
shrubs A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...
, subshrubs, stem succulents and geophytes. The erect stems bear five-
petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...
ed
flowers Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
in umbel-like clusters, which are occasionally branched. Because not all flowers appear simultaneously, but open from the centre outwards, this is a form of inflorescence is referred to as pseudoumbels. The flower has a single symmetry plane (
zygomorphic Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts. Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spir ...
), which distinguishes it from the '' Geranium'' flower, which has radial symmetry ( actinomorphic). Thus the lower three (anterior) petals are differentiated from the upper two (posterior) petals. The posterior
sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...
is fused with the pedicel to form a
hypanthium In angiosperms, a hypanthium or floral cup is a structure where basal portions of the Sepal, calyx, the petal, corolla, and the stamens form a cup-shaped tube. It is sometimes called a floral tube, a term that is also used for corolla tube and cal ...
(nectary tube). The nectary tube varies from only a few millimeters, up to several centimeters, and is an important floral characteristic in morphological classification.
Stamens The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filamen ...
vary from 2 to 7, and their number, position relative to staminodes, and curvature are used to identify individual species. There are five
stigmata Stigmata (, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion Five Holy Wounds, wounds of Jesus in Christian ...
in the
style Style, or styles may refer to: Film and television * ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal * ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film * ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film * '' ...
. For the considerable diversity in flower morphology, see figure 1 of Röschenbleck ''et al.'' (2014).
Leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...
are usually alternate, and palmately lobed or pinnate, often on long stalks, and sometimes with light or dark patterns. The leaves of '' Pelargonium peltatum'' (Ivy-leaved Geranium), have a thick cuticle better adapting them for drought tolerance.


Taxonomy

''Pelargonium'' is the second largest genus (after ''Geranium'') within the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Geraniaceae, within which it is
sister A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to ref ...
to the remaining genera of the family in its strict sense, '' Erodium'', '' Geranium'', and '' Monsonia'' including ''Sarcocaulon''. The Geraniaceae have a number of genetic features unique amongst angiosperms, including highly rearranged
plastid A plastid is a membrane-bound organelle found in the Cell (biology), cells of plants, algae, and some other eukaryotic organisms. Plastids are considered to be intracellular endosymbiotic cyanobacteria. Examples of plastids include chloroplasts ...
genomes differing in
gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
content, order and expansion of the inverted repeat.


Genus history

The name ''Pelargonium'' was first proposed by Dillenius in 1732,{{sfn, Dillenius, 1732, lo
De Geraniorum Differentiis p. 149
} who described and illustrated seven species of geraniums from
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
that are now classified as ''Pelargonium''.{{cite web , last=Handlos , first=Wayne , date=2013 , url=http://www.geraniumsonline.com/18thcentury.htm , title=18th Century: Important People, Dates and Publications in the History of ''Pelargonium'' , website=Geraniums Online , publisher=Central Coast Geranium Society , access-date=3 August 2017{{sfn, Lis-Balchin, 2002, lo
Diana Miller. The taxonomy of ''Pelargonium'' species and cultivars: Classification history p. 52
} Dillenius, who referred to these seven species with apparent unique characteristics as ''Geranium Africanum'' (African Geranium){{sfn, Dillenius, 1732, lo
Geranium Africanum p. 151
} suggested "''Possent ergo ii, quibus novi generis cupido est, ea, quorum flores inaequales vel et irrregulares sunt, Pelargonia vocare''" (Those who wish a new genus can therefore call those, whose flowers are unequal or irregular, ‘Pelargonia’).{{sfn, Boddy, 2013, lo
Introduction p. 11
} The name was then formally introduced by Johannes Burman in 1738. However
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...
who first formally described these plants in 1753 did not recognise ''Pelargonium'' and grouped together in the same genus (''Geranium'') the three similar genera ''Erodium'', ''Geranium'', and ''Pelargonium''.{{sfn, Linnaeus, 1753, lo
Geranium p. 676
} Linnaeus' reputation prevented further differentiation for forty years.{{sfn, Lis-Balchin, 2002, lo
Diana Miller. The taxonomy of ''Pelargonium'' species and cultivars: Classification history p. 52
} The eventual distinction between them was made by Charles L’Héritier based on the number of stamens or anthers, seven in the case of ''Pelargonium''. In 1774, '' P. cordatum'', '' P. crispum'', '' P. quercifolium'' and ''P. radula'' were introduced, followed by '' P. capitatum'' in 1790.{{sfn, Taylor, 2014, lo
Pelargonium
}


Circumscription

''Pelargonium'' is distinguished from the other genera in the family Geraniaceae by the presence of a
hypanthium In angiosperms, a hypanthium or floral cup is a structure where basal portions of the Sepal, calyx, the petal, corolla, and the stamens form a cup-shaped tube. It is sometimes called a floral tube, a term that is also used for corolla tube and cal ...
, which consists of an adnate nectar spur with one
nectary Nectar is a viscous, sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists, ...
, as well as a generally
zygomorphic Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts. Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spir ...
floral symmetry.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014


Subdivision

De Candolle first proposed dividing the genus into 12 sections in 1824, based on the diversity of growth forms. Traditionally the large number of ''Pelargonium'' species have been treated as sixteen sections, based on the classification of Knuth (1912) who described 15 sections, as modified by van der Walt ''et al''. (1977–1997) who added ''Chorisma'', ''Reniformia'' and ''Subsucculentia''. These are as follows; * section ''Campylia'' (Lindley ex Sweet) de Candolle * section ''Chorisma'' (Lindley ex Sweet) de Candolle * section ''Ciconium'' (Sweet) Harvey * section ''Cortusina'' (DC.) Harvey * section ''Glaucophyllum'' Harvey * section ''Hoarea'' (Sweet) de Candolle * section ''Isopetalum'' (Sweet) de Candolle * section ''Jenkinsonia'' (Sweet) de Candolle * section ''Ligularia'' (Sweet) Harvey * section ''Myrrhidium'' de Candolle * section ''Otidia'' (Lindley ex Sweet) de Candolle * section ''Pelargonium'' (Sweet) Harvey * section ''Peristera'' de Candolle * section ''Polyactium'' de Candolle * section ''Reniformia'' (Knuth) Dreyer * section ''Subsucculentia'' J.J.A. van der Walt


Phylogenetic analyses

All subdivision classifications had depended primarily on morphological differences till the era of
phylogenetic analyses In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as Computational phylogenetics, phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organ ...
(Price and Palmer 1993).Robert A. Price and Jeffrey D. Palmer. Phylogenetic Relationships of the Geraniaceae and Geraniales from rbcL Sequence Comparisons. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 80, No. 3 (1993), pp. 661–671
/ref> However phylogenetic analysis shows only three distinct
clades In biology, a clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach to taxonomy ...
, labelled A, B and C. In this analysis not all sections were
monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...
, although some were strongly supported including ''Chorisma'', ''Myrrhidium'' and ''Jenkinsonia'', while other sections were more
paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...
. This in turn has led to a proposal, informal at this stage, of a reformulation of the infrageneric subdivision of ''Pelargonium''. In the proposed scheme of Weng ''et al''. there would be two
subgenera In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...
, based on clades A+B, and C respectively and seven sections based on subclades. Subsequent analysis with an expanded taxa set confirmed this infrageneric subdivision into two groups which also correspond to chromosome length (<1.5 μ, 1.5-3.0μ),{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 but also two subclades within each major clade, suggesting the presence of four subgenera, these correspond to clades A, B, C1 and C2 of the earlier analysis, A being by far the largest clade with 141 taxa. As before the internal structure of the clades supported monophyly of some sections (''Myrrhidium'', ''Chorisma'', ''Reniformia'', ''Pelargonium'', ''Ligularia'' and ''Hoarea'') but paraphyly in others (''Jenkinsonia'', ''Ciconium'', ''Peristera''). A distinct clade could be identified within the paraphyletic ''Polyactium'', designated section ''Magnistipulacea''. As a result, ''Polyactium'' has been split up to provide this new section, which in itself contains two subsections, ''Magnistipulacea'' and ''Schizopetala'', following Knuth's original treatment of ''Polyactium'' as having four subsections.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 Thus Röschenbleck ''et al.'' (2014) provide a complete revision of the subgeneric classification of ''Pelargonium'' based on four subgenera corresponding to their major clades (A, B, C1, C2); * subgenus '' Magnipetala'' Roeschenbl. & F. Albers Type: '' Pelargonium praemorsum'' (Andrews) F Dietrich * subgenus '' Parvulipetala'' Roeschenbl. & F. Albers Type: '' Pelargonium hypoleucum'' Turczaninow * subgenus '' Paucisignata'' Roeschenbl. & F. Albers Type: '' Pelargonium zonale'' (L.) L'Hér. in Aiton * subgenus ''
Pelargonium ''Pelargonium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that includes about 280 species of perennial plant, perennials, succulent plant, succulents, and shrubs, common name, commonly called geraniums, pelargoniums, or storksbills. ''Geranium'' is also ...
'' L'Hér. Type: '' Pelargonium cucullatum'' (L.) Aiton{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 Sixteen sections were then assigned to the new subgenera as follows, although many species remained only assigned to subgenera at this stage * subgenus ''Magnipetala'' 3 sections ** section '' Chorisma'' (Lindley ex Sweet) de Candolle – 4 species ** section '' Jenkinsonia'' (Sweet) de Candolle – 11 species ** section '' Myrrhidium'' de Candolle – 8 species * subgenus ''Parvulipetala'' 3 sections ** section '' Isopetalum'' (Sweet) de Candolle – 1 species ('' Pelargonium cotyledonis'' (L.) L'Hér.) ** section '' Peristera'' de Candolle – 30 species ** section '' Reniformia'' (Knuth) Dreyer – 8 species * subgenus ''Paucisignata'' 2 sections ** section '' Ciconium'' (Sweet) Harvey – 16 species ** section '' Subsucculentia'' J.J.A. van der Walt – 3 species * subgenus ''Pelargonium'' 8 sections ** section '' Campylia'' (Lindley ex Sweet) de Candolle – 9 species ** section '' Cortusina'' (DC.) Harvey – 7 species ** section '' Hoarea'' (Sweet) de Candolle – 72 species ** section '' Ligularia'' (Sweet) Harvey – 10 species ** section '' Magnistipulacea'' Roeschenbl. & F. Albers Type: '' Pelargonium schlecteri'' Knuth – 2 subsections *** subsection '' Magnistipulacea'' Roeschenbl. & F. Albers Type: ''Pelargonium schlecteri'' Knuth – 2 species (''P. schlecteri'' & '' P. luridum'') *** subsection '' Schizopetala'' (Knuth) Roeschenbl. & F. Albers Type: '' Pelargonium afrum'' (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steudel – 3 species (''P. afrum'', '' P. bowkeri'', '' P. schizopetalum'') ** section '' Otidia'' (Lindley ex Sweet) de Candolle – 14 species ** section ''
Pelargonium ''Pelargonium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that includes about 280 species of perennial plant, perennials, succulent plant, succulents, and shrubs, common name, commonly called geraniums, pelargoniums, or storksbills. ''Geranium'' is also ...
'' L'Hér. – 34 species ** section '' Polyactium'' de Candolle – 2 subsections *** subsection '' Caulescentia'' Knuth – 1 species ('' Pelargonium gibbosum'') *** subsection '' Polyactium'' de Candolle – 7 species


Subgenera

Subgenus ''Magnipetala'': Corresponds to clade C1, with 24 species. Perennial to short lived, spreading
subshrubs A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or undershrub is either a small shrub (e.g. prostrate shrubs) or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody plant, woody at the base (e.g. garden pink and florist's chrysanthemum). The term is ofte ...
, rarely herbaceous annuals. Petals five, but may be four, colour mainly white. Mainly winter rainfall region of South Africa, spreading into summer rainfall region. One species in northern Namibia and
Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...
. Two species in East Africa and
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
. Chromosomes x=11 and 9. Subgenus ''Parvulipetala'': Corresponds to clade B, with 39-42 species. Perennials, partly annuals. Petals five and equal, colour white or pink to deep purplish red. Mainly South Africa, but also other southern hemisphere except South America. a few species in East Africa and Ethiopia. Chromosomes x=7-19. Subgenus ''Paucisignata'': Corresponds to clade C2, with 25-27 species. Erect sometimes trailing shrubs or subshrubs, rarely geophytes or semi-geophytes. Petals five and equal, colour pink to red sometimes white. Summer rainfall region of South Africa, spreading into winter rainfall region and northern
Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
, with a few species in tropical Africa, Ethiopia,
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
,
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
and Asia Minor. Chromosomes x=mainly 9 or 10, but from 4–18. Subgenus ''Pelargonium'': Corresponds to clade A, with 167 species. Frequently xerophytic deciduous perennials with many geophytes and succulent subshrubs, less frequently woody evergreen shrubs or annual herbs. Petals five, colour shades of pink to purple or yellow. Winter rainfall region of South Africa and adjacent Namibia, spreading to summer rainfall area, and two species in tropical Africa. Chromosomes x=11, may be 8–10.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014


Species

{{main, List of Pelargonium species ''Pelargonium'' has around 280 species.{{r, powo{{cite journal, last1=Weng, first1=ML, last2=Ruhlman, first2=TA, last3=Gibby, first3=M, author-link3=Mary Gibby, last4=Jansen, first4=RK, date=Sep 2012, title=Phylogeny, rate variation, and genome size evolution of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae), journal=Mol Phylogenet Evol, volume=64, issue=3, pages=654–70, doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2012.05.026 , pmid=22677167, bibcode=2012MolPE..64..654W Röschenbleck ''et al'' lists 281 taxa.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 There is considerable confusion as to which ''Pelargonium'' are true species, and which are cultivars or hybrids. The nomenclature has changed considerably since the first plants were introduced to Europe in the 17th century.


Etymology

The name ''Pelargonium'' is derived from the Greek πελαργός, ''pelargós'' (
stork Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes . Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons and ibise ...
), because the seed head looks like a stork's beak. Dillenius originally suggested the name 'stork', because ''Geranium'' was named after a crane — "''a'' πελαργός, ''ciconia, sicuti vocamus Gerania'', γερανός, ''grus''" (from ''pelargos'', stork, as we call the ''Gerania'', ''geranos'', crane).{{sfn, Dillenius, 1732, lo
De Geraniorum Differentiis
}{{sfn, Boddy, 2013, lo
Introduction p. 11
}


Distribution and habitat

''Pelargonium'' is a large genus within the family Geraniaceae, which has a worldwide distribution in temperate to subtropical zones with some 800 mostly herbaceous species.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 ''Pelargonium'' itself is native to
southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost region of Africa. No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme for Africa, United Nations geoscheme, the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, and ...
(including
Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
) and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. Southern Africa contains 90% of the genus, with only about 30 species found elsewhere, predominantly the East African rift valley (about 20 species) and southern Australia, including
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 The remaining few species are found in southern
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
,
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
,
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
,
Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
, the north of
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
and isolated islands in the south
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
( Saint Helena and
Tristan da Cunha Tristan da Cunha (), colloquially Tristan, is a remote group of volcano, volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is one of three constituent parts of the British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascensi ...
) and
Socotra Socotra, locally known as Saqatri, is a Yemeni island in the Indian Ocean. Situated between the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea, it lies near major shipping routes. Socotra is the largest of the six islands in the Socotra archipelago as ...
in the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 The centre of diversity is in southwestern South Africa where rainfall is confined to the winter, unlike the rest of the country where rainfall is predominantly in the summer months.{{sfn, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 Most of the ''Pelargonium'' plants cultivated in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
have their origins in South Africa.{{cite web , last=Sayre , first=James K. , year=2003 , url=http://www.bottlebrushpress.com/scentedgeraniums.html , title=Scented Geraniums or Pelargoniums , publisher=Bottlebrushpress.com , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708085450/http://www.bottlebrushpress.com/scentedgeraniums.html , archive-date=2011-07-08


Ecology

''Pelargonium'' species are eaten by the
caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder ...
s of some
Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
species, including the noctuid moth angle shades, ''Phlogophora meticulosa''. The diurnal butterflies '' Cacyreus marshalli'' and '' C. tespis'' (Lycaenidae), native to southern Africa, also feed on ''Geranium'' and ''Pelargonium''. ''C. marshallii'' has been introduced to Europe and can develop into a pest on cultivated Pelargoniums. It has naturalised along the Mediterranean, but does not survive the winter in Westen Europe. The
Japanese beetle The Japanese beetle (''Popillia japonica'') is a species of Scarabaeidae, scarab beetle. Due to the presence of Predation, natural predators, the Japanese beetle is not considered a pest in its native Japan, but in North America and some region ...
, an important agricultural insect pest, becomes rapidly paralyzed after consuming flower petals of the garden hybrids known as "zonal geraniums" (''P.'' × ''hortorum''). The phenomenon was first described in 1920, and subsequently confirmed. Research conducted by Dr. Christopher Ranger with the
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
Agricultural Research Service and other collaborating scientists have demonstrated the excitatory amino acid called
quisqualic acid Quisqualic acid is an agonist of the AMPA, kainate, and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. It is one of the most potent AMPA receptor agonists known. It causes excitotoxicity and is used in neuroscience to selectively destroy neurons ...
present within the flower petals is responsible for causing paralysis of the Japanese beetle. Quisqualic acid is thought to mimic L-glutamic acid, which is a
neurotransmitter A neurotransmitter is a signaling molecule secreted by a neuron to affect another cell across a Chemical synapse, synapse. The cell receiving the signal, or target cell, may be another neuron, but could also be a gland or muscle cell. Neurotra ...
in the insect neuromuscular junction and mammalian central nervous system. A study by the Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects group at the
University of Sussex The University of Sussex is a public university, public research university, research university located in Falmer, East Sussex, England. It lies mostly within the city boundaries of Brighton and Hove. Its large campus site is surrounded by the ...
on the attractiveness of common garden plants to pollinators found that a cultivar of ''Pelargonium'' × ''hortorum'' was unattractive to pollinators in comparison to other selected garden plants such as '' Lavandula'' (lavender) and '' Origanum''.{{cite journal, title=Quantifying variation among garden plants in attractiveness to bees and other flower-visiting insects, journal=Functional Ecology, year=2013, doi=10.1111/1365-2435.12178, volume=28, issue=2, pages=364–374, last1=Garbuzov, first1=Mihail, last2=Ratnieks, first2=Francis L. W., s2cid=83908634


Pests and diseases

{{Main, List of geranium diseases, Pelargonium flower break virus, Pelargonium line pattern virus The geranium bronze butterfly is a pest of ''Pelargonium'' species. The larvae of the geranium bronze bore into the stem of the host plant, causing the stem to typically turn black and die soon after. Geranium bronze are currently listed as an A2 quarantine pest by the
European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization The European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) is an Intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental organisation responsible for European cooperation in plant protection in the European and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean ...
and can cause significant damage to ''Pelargonium'' species.


Cultivation

Various types of ''Pelargonium'' are regular participants in flower shows and competitive events, with numerous societies devoted exclusively to their cultivation. They are easy to propagate vegetatively from cuttings.{{cite book , title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants , year=2008 , publisher=Dorling Kindersley , location=United Kingdom , isbn=978-1405332965 , page=1136 It is recommended that cuttings should have at least two nodes. Zonal geraniums grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 through 12. Zonal geraniums are basically tropical perennials. Although they are often grown as annuals, they may overwinter in zones as cool as zone 7.


Cultivation history

The first species of ''Pelargonium'' known to be cultivated was ''P. triste'', a native of
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. It was probably brought to the
Botanical Garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
in
Leiden Leiden ( ; ; in English language, English and Archaism, archaic Dutch language, Dutch also Leyden) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Nethe ...
before 1600 on ships which had stopped at the
Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( ) is a rocky headland on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A List of common misconceptions#Geography, common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Afri ...
. In 1631, the English gardener John Tradescant the elder bought seeds from Rene Morin in Paris and introduced the plant to England. By 1724, '' P. inquinans'', '' P. odoratissimum'', '' P. peltatum'', '' P. vitifolium'', and '' P. zonale'' had been introduced to Europe.{{sfn, Taylor, 2014, lo
Pelargonium
}


Cultivars

There was little attempt at any rational grouping of ''Pelargonium'' cultivars, the growing of which was revived in the mid-twentieth century, and the origins of many if not most were lost in obscurity. In 1916 the American botanist
Liberty Hyde Bailey Liberty Hyde Bailey (March 15, 1858 – December 25, 1954) was an American Horticulture, horticulturist and reformer of rural life. He was cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science.Makers of American Botany, Harry Baker Humphrey ...
(1858–1954) introduced two new terms for zonal and regal pelargoniums. Those pelargoniums which were largely derived from '' P. zonale'' he referred to as ''P.'' × ''hortorum'' (i.e. from the garden), while those from '' P. cucullatum'' he named ''P.'' × ''domesticum'' (i.e. from the home).{{sfn, Wilkinson, 2007, lo
p. 189
} In the late 1950s a list (the Spalding List) was produced in the United States, based on nursery listings and the 1897 list of Henri Dauthenay.{{sfn, Dauthenay, 1897 It described seven groups, listing each cultivar with the list of its originator, and in most cases a date. These were Species, Zonals, Variegated-Leaved, Domesticum (Regals), Ivy-Leaved, Scented-Leaved and Old. In the 1970s the British Pelargonium and Geranium Society produced a checklist and the Australian Geranium Society started to produce a register but it was not completed till its author, Jean Llewellyn's death in 1999. None of these were published. The most complete list in its time was the 2001 compilation by The Geraniaceae Group,{{sfn, Amadio, 2015 which included all cultivars up to 1959.{{sfn, Wilkinson, 2007, lo
Appendix 2: Horticultural Classification and Glossary
} Registration of cultivars is the responsibility of the Pelargonium & Geranium Society (PAGS: formed in 2009 from the British Pelargonium and Geranium Society and the British and European Geranium Society){{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
About us
} which administers the International Register of Pelargonium Cultivars.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
International Register of Pelargonium Cultivars
} PAGS is the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) of the International Society for Horticultural Science for pelargoniums.{{sfn, ISHS, 2015, loc= ICRA
Pelargonium and Geranium Society
} Cultivated pelargoniums are commonly divided into six groups{{sfn, RHS, 2015, lo
''Pelargonium'' (geranium)
} in addition to species pelargoniums and primary hybrids. The following list is ordered by position in the PAGS classification.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Pelargonium Basics
} Abbreviations indicate
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...
usage.{{sfn, RHS, 2015, lo
Horticultural classification for ''Pelargonium'' L'Her. ex Aiton
} * A. Zonal (Z) * B. Ivy-leaved (I) * C. Regal (R) * D. Angel (A) * E. Unique (U) * F. Scented-leaved (Sc) * G. Species * H. Primary hybrids Of these, A, U and Sc groups are sometimes lumped together as Species Derived (Sppd). This term implies that they are closely related to a species from which they were derived, and do not fit into the R, I or Z groups.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} In addition to the primary groups, additional descriptors are used. The Royal Horticultural Society has created description codes. These include;{{sfn, RHS, 2015, lo
Horticultural classification for ''Pelargonium'' L'Her. ex Aiton
} * Cactus (Ca) * Coloured foliage (C) * Decorative (Dec) * Double (d) * Dwarf (Dw) * Dwarf Ivy-leaved (Dwl) * Frutetorum (Fr) * Miniature (Min) * Miniature Ivy-leaved (MinI) * Stellar (St) * Tulip (T) * Variegated (v) These may then be combined to form the code, ''e.g.'' ''Pelargonium'' 'Chelsea Gem' (Z/d/v), indicating Zonal Double with variegated foliage. Crosses between groups are indicated with an ×, ''e.g.'' ''Pelargonium'' 'Hindoo' (R × U), indicating a Regal × Unique cross.


A. Zonal pelargoniums (''Pelargonium'' × ''hortorum'' Bailey)

These are known as zonal geraniums because many have zones or patterns in the center of the leaves, this is the contribution of the '' Pelargonium zonale'' parent. Common names include storksbill, fish or horseshoe geraniums.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} They are also referred to as ''Pelargonium'' × ''hortorum'' Bailey. Zonal pelargoniums are
tetraploid Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than two paired sets of ( homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have nuclei (eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they have two complete sets of chromosomes, one fro ...
, mostly derived from '' P. inquinans'' and '' P. zonale'', together with ''P. scandens'' and ''P. frutetorum''.{{sfn, RHS, 2015, lo
''Pelargonium'' (geranium)
} Zonal pelargoniums are mostly bush-type plants with succulent stems grown for the beauty of their flowers, traditionally red, salmon, violet, white or pink. The scarlet colouring is attributed to the contribution of ''P. inquinans''.{{sfn, Taylor, 2014, lo
Pelargonium
} Flowers may be double or single. They are the pelargoniums most often confused with genus '' Geranium'', particularly in summer bedding arrangements. This incorrect nomenclature is widely used in horticulture, particularly in North America.{{sfn, Taylor, 2014, lo
Pelargonium
} Zonals include a variety of plant types along with genetic hybrids such as hybrid ivy-leaved varieties that display little or no ivy leaf characteristics (the Deacons varieties), or the Stellar varieties. Hybrid zonals are crosses between zonals and either a species or species-derived pelargonium.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} There are hundreds of zonal cultivars available for sale, and like other cultivars are sold in series such as 'Rocky Mountain', each of which is named after its predominant colour, ''e.g.'' 'Rocky Mountain Orange', 'White', 'Dark Red', ''etc''. *(i) Basic plants – Mature plants with foliage normally exceeding {{convert, 180, mm, in, 0, abbr=on in height above the rim of the pot. For exhibition these should be grown in a pot exceeding {{convert, 120, mm, in, frac=4, abbr=on in diameter but not normally exceeding {{convert, 165, mm, in, frac=2, abbr=on. *(ii) Dwarf plants – Smaller than basic. Mature plants with foliage more than {{convert, 125, mm, in, 0, abbr=on above the rim of the pot, but not normally more than {{convert, 180, mm, in, 0, abbr=on. For exhibition should be grown in a pot exceeding {{convert, 90, mm, in, frac=2, abbr=on but not exceeding {{convert, 120, mm, in, frac=4, abbr=on. They should not exceed 200 mm in height, grown in an 11 cm pot.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} *(iii) Miniature plants – Slowly growing pelargoniums. Mature plants with foliage normally less than {{convert, 125, mm, in, 0, abbr=on above the rim of the pot. For exhibition should be grown in a pot not exceeding {{convert, 90, mm, in, frac=2, abbr=on. They should not exceed 125 mm in height, grown in a 9 cm pot.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} *(iv) Micro-miniature plants – Smaller and more slowly growing than miniature pelargoniums. Mature plants with foliage normally less than {{convert, 100, mm, in, 0, abbr=on above the rim of the pot. They should not exceed 75 mm in height, grown in a 6 cm pot.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} Usually no separate classes for these in exhibition and will therefore normally be shown as Miniature Zonals. *(v) Deacon varieties –Genetic hybrid similar to a large Dwarf. For exhibition (when shown in a separate class), usually grown in a pot not exceeding {{convert, 125, mm, in, 0, abbr=on, otherwise as for Dwarf Zonals. *(vi) Stellar varieties – A relatively modern genetic hybrid originating from the work done by the Australian hybridiser Ted Both in the late 1950s and 1960s from crosses between Australian species and Zonal types. Easily identifiable by their distinctive half-star-shaped leaves and slim-petalled blooms which create an impression of being star shaped (or five fingered). Single varieties tend to have larger elongated triangular petals whereas doubles tend to have thin feathered petals that are tightly packed together. For exhibition purposes there is a separate class for 'Stellar' varieties, but being Zonals could be shown in an open class for Basic, Dwarf or Miniature Zonals (unless otherwise stated). Also known as "The Five-fingered Geraniums", "Staphysagroides", "Both’s Staphs", "Both’s Hybrid Staphs", "Fingered Flowers" and "Bodey’s Formosum Hybrids".{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} Fancy-leaf zonal pelargoniums – besides having green leaves with or without zoning, this group also have variable coloured foliage{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} that is sometimes used in classifying for exhibition purposes, ''e.g.'' ‘Bicolour’, ‘Tricolour’, ‘Bronze’ or ‘Gold’. Other foliage types are: ‘Black’ or ‘Butterfly’. There are an increasing number of these plants with showy blooms; *(a) Bicolour – includes those with white or cream veined leaves or those with two distinct colours with clearly defined edges, other than the basic zone. *(b) Tricolour – (May be Silver Tricolour (usually called a Silver Leaf) or a Gold Tricolour). **(i) Gold Tricolour – Leaves of many colours including red and gold, but usually with clearly defined edges of golden yellow and having a leaf zone, usually red or bronze, that overlays two or more of the other distinct leaf colours, so that the zone itself appears as two or more distinct colours. **(ii) Silver Tricolour or Silver Leaf – These tend to resemble a normal bi-colour leaf plant with two distinct colours usually of green and pale cream or white; the third colour is usually made up of bronze zoning. When this zoning overlays the green part of the leaf it is deemed to represent a silver colour. *(c) Bronze Leaved – Leaves of Green or Golden/Green with a heavy bronze or chestnut coloured centre zone which is known as a medallion. For exhibition purposes, when exhibited in specific ‘Bronze’ Leaf class – Must have over 50% of leaf surface bronze coloured. The dwarf plant ‘Overchurch’ which has a heavy bronze medallion. *(d) Gold Leaved – Leaves coloured golden/yellow or green/yellow but not showing a tendency to green. For exhibition purposes, when exhibited in specific ‘Gold’ Leaf class – Must have over 50% of leaf surface gold coloured. *(e) Black Leaved – Leaves coloured black, purple-black or with distinct large dark zones or centre markings on green. *(f) Butterfly Leaved – Leaves with a butterfly marking of distinct tone or hue in centre of leaf. This can be encompassed in many of the coloured leaf varieties. Zonal pelargoniums have many flower types, as follows:{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} *(a) Single flowered (S) – each flower pip normally having no more than five petals. This is the standard flower set for all Pelargoniums. *(b) Semi-double flowered (SD) – each flower pip normally having between six and nine petals. *(c) Double flowered (D)– each flower pip composed of more than nine petals (i.e. double the standard flower set) but not ‘hearted’ like the bud of a rose, ''e.g.'' the dwarf ‘Dovepoint’ which has full double blooms. *(d) Rosebud (or noisette) flowered – each bloom fully double and ‘hearted’. The middle petals are so numerous that they remain unopened like the bud of a rose.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} *(e) Tulip flowered – having semi-double blooms that never fully open. The large cup shaped petals open just sufficiently to resemble a miniature tulip. *(f) Bird's-egg group – having blooms with petals that have spots in a darker shade than the base colour, like many birds eggs.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} *(g) Speckled flowered group – having petals that are marked with splashes and flecks of another colour, ''e.g.'' ‘Vectis Embers’. *(h) Quilled (or cactus-flowered group, or poinsettia in USA) – having petals twisted and furled like a quill.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} “Zonquil” pelargoniums result from a cross between Zonal pelargonium cultivars and ''P. quinquelobatum''.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
}


B. Ivy-leaved pelargoniums (derived from ''Pelargonium peltatum'')

Also known as "ivy geraniums".{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
}Usually of lax growth (trailing), mainly due to the long thin stems, with thick, waxy ivy-shaped stiff fleshy evergreen leaves developed by the species ''P. peltatum'' to retain moisture during periods of drought. Much used for hanging pots, tubs and basket cultivation. In the UK the bulbous double-headed types are preferred whilst on the European continent the balcon single types for large-scale hanging floral displays are favoured. Ivy-leaved pelargoniums embrace all such growth size types including small-leaved varieties and genetic hybrid crosses, which display little or no zonal characteristics. May have bicolour leaves and may have flowers that are single, double or rosette. Ivy pelargoniums are often sold as series such as 'Great Balls of Fire', in a variety of colours such as 'Great Balls of Fire Burgundy'. Additional descriptive terms include;{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} * Hybrid Ivy — the result of ivy × zonal crosses, but still more closely resemble ivy-leaved pelargoniums. * Fancy leaf — leaves with marked color variation, together with or other than green. * Miniature — miniature leaves and flowers, stems with short nodes, and compact growth. ''e.g.'' 'Sugar Baby' listed as Dwarf Ivy (DwI) by RHS.{{sfn, RHS, 2015, lo
Horticultural classification for ''Pelargonium'' L'Her. ex Aiton
}


C. Regal pelargoniums (''Pelargonium'' × ''domesticum'' Bailey)

These are large bush-type floriferous evergreen pelargoniums. In addition to "Regals" they are also known as “Show Pelargoniums”. In the United States they are often known as the "Martha Washington" or ‘"Lady Washington" pelargoniums. They are grown primarily for the beauty and richness of their flower heads, which are large. Most of those cultivars grown currently are the result of hybridization over the last 50 years. They are very short-jointed and compact, which results in their requiring very little work in order to create a floriforous and well-rounded plant.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
}{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Pelargonium Basics
} Flowers are single, rarely double, in mauve, pink, purple or white. They have rounded, sometimes lobed or partially toothed (serrated) leaves, unlike the Zonal groups, without any type of zoning. Additional descriptive terms include;{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} * Fancy leaf – Leaves with marked variations in colour * Decorative pelargoniums (Decoratives) – Descendants of older, less compact, smaller-flowered varieties that are more suited to outdoor conditions. These have smaller flowers than Regal, but are otherwise similar. ''e.g.'' ‘Royal Ascot’ * Miniature – Flowers and leaves similar to Regal, but miniature in form, with compact growth. Other terms include “Pansy Geraniums” or “Pansy Pelargoniums”. ''e.g.'' ‘Lara Susan’ * Oriental pelargoniums – The result of crosses between Regals and members of the Angel group (see below). Some have bicolour foliage.


D. Angel pelargoniums (derived from ''Pelargonium crispum'')

Angel pelargoniums are similar to Regal pelargoniums but more closely resemble '' P. crispum'' in leaf shape and growth habit. The majority of Angel cultivars originate from a cross between ''P. crispum'' and a Regal variety in the early part of the 20th century. Angels have grown in popularity in the last 30 years or so due mainly to an explosion of new varieties being released by specialist nurseries resulting from the work done by dedicated amateur hybridisers. These hybrisers have managed to obtain many new flower colour breaks and tighter growth habits resulting in plants suitable for all sorts of situations. Angels basically have the appearance of a small Regal with small serrated leaves and much smaller flowers and are more compact and bushy. The group extends to include similar small-leaved and -flowered types but usually with ''P. crispum'' in their parentage. They are mostly upright bush-type plants but there are some lax varieties that can be used for basket or hanging pot cultivation. Often called "pansy-faced" in the US. Some varieties have bicolour foliage. Other terms include ‘Langley-Smith Hybrids’.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
}


E. Unique pelargoniums (derived from ''Pelargonium fulgidum'')

Unique in sense of not fitting into any of the above categories. The parentage of Unique pelargoniums is confused and obscure. One theory being a derivation from ''P. fulgidum'', but a derivation from an older cultivar 'Old Unique’, also known as or ‘Rollinson’s Crimson’, in the mid-19th century is also claimed.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} Unique pelargoniums resemble upright Scented Leaf pelargoniums in being shrubby and woody evergreens. They have distinctly scented leaves, and small flowers with blotched and feathered petals. They may have bicolour foliage. Some types, popularly known in the hobby as hybrid Uniques, have been crossed with Regal pelargoniums and, as a result of this cross, are much more floriferous. ; Cultivar: * Fiery-flowered Stork's-bill, Scarlet Unique Scented Geranium (''P.'' × ''ignescens''){{sfn, Sweet, 1822, lo
''Pelargonium ignescens''
} - a ''P. fulgidum'' hybrid


F. Scented-leaved pelargoniums

Shrubby evergreen perennials grown chiefly for their fragrance, may be species or cultivars but all must have a clear and distinct scented foliage. Scent is emitted when the leaves are touched or bruised with some scents aromatic, others pungent and in a few cases, quite unpleasant. Several of the scented leaved pelargoniums are grown for the oil
geraniol Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol. It is the primary component of citronella oil and is a primary component of rose oil and palmarosa oil. It is a colorless oil, although commercial samples can appear yellow. It has low solubility i ...
, which is extracted from the leaves and is an essential oil much used commercially in perfumery. The scent of some species growing in their natural habitat, acts as a deterrent to grazing animals who appear to dislike the emitted scent. Conversely, it also attracts other insect life to visit the bloom and pollinate the plant. The scented leaves can be used for potpourri and they also have a use as flavourings in cooking. Occasionally scented types can be found in some of the other groups mentioned; for example, the Angels, having ''P. crispum'' in their genetic makeup, can often have a strong citrus scent. Leaves are lobed, toothed, incised or variegated. Growth habit is very variable, but the flowers are less prominent than other groups, and most closely resemble the species they originated from.{{sfn, PAGS, 2015, lo
Horticultural symbols and terms
} These include: * Almond - '' Pelargonium quercifolium'' * Apple - '' Pelargonium odoratissimum'' * Apple - '' Pelargonium cordifolium'' * Apple/Mint - '' Pelargonium album'' * Apricot/Lemon - ''Pelargonium scabrum'' * Balsam - ''Pelargonium panduriforme'' * Camphor - ''Pelargonium betulinum'' * Celery - ''Pelargonium ionidiflorum'' * Cinnamon - ''Pelargonium 'Ardwyck Cinnamon * Coconut - '' Pelargonium grossalarioides'' (''Pelargonium parriflorum'') * Eau de Cologne - ''Pelargonium 'Brilliantine * Eucalyptus - ''Pelargonium 'Secret Love * Grapefruit - ''Pelargonium 'Poquita * Ginger - ''Pelargonium 'Torrento or 'Cola Bottles' which is a variety of ''Pelargonium'' x ''nervosum'' * Hazelnut - ''Pelargonium 'Odorata Hazelnut'' * Lavender - ''Pelargonium 'Lavender Lindy * Lemon - '' Pelargonium crispum'' * Lemon - ''Pelargonium citronellum'' (Synonym - ''Pelargonium'' 'Mabel Grey') * Lemon Balm - ''Pelargonium x melissinum'' * Lime - ''Pelargonium x nervosum'' * Myrrh - ''Pelargonium myrrhifolium'' * Nutmeg - '' Pelargonium x fragrans'' * Old Spice - ''Variety of Pelargonium x fragrans'' * Orange - ''Pelargonium x citriodorum'' (Synonym - ''Pelargonium'' 'Prince of Orange') * Peach - ''Pelargonium 'Peaches and Cream * Peppermint - '' Pelargonium tomentosum'' * Pine - ''Pelargonium denticulatum'' * Pineapple - ''Pelargonium 'Brilliant * Raspberry - ''Pelargonium 'Red Raspberry * Rose - '' Pelargonium graveolens'' (Synonym - ''Pelargonium roseum'') * Rose - '' Pelargonium capitatum'' * Rose - '' Pelargonium radens'' * Southernwood - ''Pelargonium abrotanifolium'' * Spicy - '' Pelargonium exstipulatum'' * Strawberry - ''Pelargonium x scarboroviae'' ; Cultivars: * 'Attar of Roses' - a cultivar of ''P. capitatum'' * 'Crowfoot Rose' - a cultivar of ''P. radens'' * 'Dr. Livingston' - a cultivar of ''P. radens'' * 'Grey Lady Plymouth' - a cultivar of ''P. graveolens'' * 'Prince Rupert' - a cultivar of ''P. crispum''


G. Species pelargoniums

The species are the forefathers of all the cultivar groups listed above. In general, the definition of a species is that it breeds true, and is to be found doing this in the "wild". Species pelargoniums have a large diversity of characteristics in habit, shape, size and colour, which probably accounts for them having retained their popularity for more than 300 years.


H. Primary hybrids

A primary hybrid is recognised as being the resultant plant from a first-time cross between two different known species. Examples are ''P.'' × ''ardens'' – from ''P. lobatum'' × ''P. fulgidum'' (1810). ''P.'' × ''glauciifolium'' – from ''P. gibbosum'' × ''P. lobatum'' (1822). Usually, but not always, primary hybrids are sterile.


List of AGM pelargoniums

The following is a selection of pelargoniums which have gained the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...
's
Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...
: *'Attar of Roses' (rose scented leaves, pink flowers) *'Citriodorum' (lemon scented leaves, rose pink flowers) *'Dolly Varden' (variegated leaves, scarlet flowers) *'Frank Headley' (cream vareigated leaves, salmon pink flowers) *'Fringed Aztec' (white & purple fringed flowers) *'Gemstone' (scented leaves, pink flowers) *'Grace Thomas' (lemon scented leaves, pale pink flowers) *'Joy' (pink & white frilled flowers) *'Lady Plymouth' (''P. graveolens variegata'' - small mauve flowers) *'Lara Candy Dancer' (scented leaves, pale mauve flowers) *'Lara Starshine' (aromatic leaves, lilac flowers) *'L'Élégante' (ivy-leaved, trailing, white and purple flowers) *'Mabel Grey' (lemon-scented leaves, mauve flowers) *'Mrs Quilter' (bronze leaves, salmon pink flowers) *'Radula' (lemon & rose scented leaves, pink & purple flowers) *'Royal Oak' (balsam scented leaves, mauve flowers) *'Spanish Angel' (lilac & magenta flowers) *'Sweet Mimosa' (balsam-scented leaves, pale pink flowers) *'Tip Top Duet' (pink & wine-red flowers) *'Voodoo' (crimson & black flowers) *''P. tomentosum'' (peppermint-scented leaves, small white flowers)


Uses


Ornamental plants

Pelargoniums rank as one of the highest number of potted flowering plants sold and also in terms of wholesale value.


Scented leaf pelargoniums

Other than being grown for their beauty, species such as '' P. graveolens'' are important in the
perfume Perfume (, ) is a mixture of fragrance, fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), Fixative (perfumery), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agre ...
industry and are cultivated and
distilled Distillation, also classical distillation, is the process of separating the component substances of a liquid mixture of two or more chemically discrete substances; the separation process is realized by way of the selective boiling of the mixt ...
for their scents. Although scented pelargoniums exist which have smells of citrus, mint, pine, spices or various fruits, the varieties with rose scents are most commercially important.{{citation needed, date=July 2012 Pelargonium distillates and absolutes, commonly known as "scented geranium oil" are sometimes used to supplement or adulterate expensive rose oils. The oils of the scented pelargoniums contain citronellol,
geraniol Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol. It is the primary component of citronella oil and is a primary component of rose oil and palmarosa oil. It is a colorless oil, although commercial samples can appear yellow. It has low solubility i ...
,
eugenol Eugenol is an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol, a member of the allylbenzene class of chemical compounds. It is a colorless to pale yellow, aromatic oily liquid extracted from certain essential oils especially from clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, ...
, alpha-pinene and many other compounds. The edible leaves and flowers are also used as a flavouring in desserts, cakes, jellies and teas. Scented-leafed pelargoniums can be used to flavor jellies, cakes, butters, ice cream, iced tea and other dishes, The rose-, lemon- and peppermint-scents are most commonly used. Also used are those with hints of peach, cinnamon and orange. Commonly used lemon-scented culinary species include ''P. crispum and P. citronellum''. Rose-scenteds include ''P. graveolens'' and members of the ''P. graveolens'' cultivar group. Other species and cultivars with culinary use include the lime-scented ''P.'' ‘Lime’, the lemon balm-scented ''P.'' ‘Lemon Balm’, the strawberry-lemon-scented ''P.'' ‘Lady Scarborough’ and the peppermint-scented ''P. tomentosum''.{{cite web, title=Pelargoniums - An Herb Society of America Fact Sheet, url=http://www.herbsociety.org/factsheets/pelargoniums_fact.pdf, publisher=The Herb Society of America, year=2006, access-date=20 December 2012, url-status=dead, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227124006/http://www.herbsociety.org/factsheets/pelargoniums_fact.pdf, archive-date=27 February 2012 Scented leaf pelargoniums have also been historically used as toilet paper by fishermen in remote places, such as the Minquiers.


Herbal medicine

In
herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also called herbalism, phytomedicine or phytotherapy) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of many herbal treatments ...
, ''Pelargonium'' has been used for intestinal problems, wounds and respiratory ailments, but ''Pelargonium'' species have also been used for
fever Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with Human body temperature, body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, s ...
s,
kidney In humans, the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped blood-filtering organ (anatomy), organs that are a multilobar, multipapillary form of mammalian kidneys, usually without signs of external lobulation. They are located on the left and rig ...
complaints and other conditions. Geranium (Pelargonium) oil is considered a relaxant in aromatherapy, and in recent years, respiratory/cold remedies made from ''P. sidoides'' and ''P. reniforme'' have been sold in Europe and the United States. ''P. sidoides'' along with Echinacea is used for
bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...
. ''P. odoratissimum'' is used for its astringent, tonic and antiseptic effects. {{citation needed, date=May 2016 It is used internally for debility,
gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis, also known as infectious diarrhea, is an inflammation of the Human gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal tract including the stomach and intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of ...
, and
hemorrhage Bleeding, hemorrhage, haemorrhage or blood loss, is blood escaping from the circulatory system from damaged blood vessels. Bleeding can occur internally, or externally either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, urethra, ...
and externally for skin complaints, injuries, and
neuralgia Neuralgia (Greek ''neuron'', "nerve" + ''algos'', "pain") is pain in the distribution of a nerve or nerves, as in intercostal nerve, intercostal neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and glossopharyngeal nerve, glossopharyngeal neuralgia. Classifica ...
and throat infections. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy.


Pets

According to the ASPCA, these plants are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.


Chemistry

Pelargonin (pelargonidin 3,5-O-diglucoside) is a petal pigment of the scarlet pelargonium.


In culture

Chemist
John Dalton John Dalton (; 5 or 6 September 1766 – 27 July 1844) was an English chemist, physicist and meteorologist. He introduced the atomic theory into chemistry. He also researched Color blindness, colour blindness; as a result, the umbrella term ...
realized that he was color blind in 1794 when he heard others describe the color of the flowers of the pink '' Pelargonium zonale'' as pink or red, when to him it looked either pink or blue, having no relationship to red at all.{{cite journal, last=Dalton, first=John, title=Extraordinary facts relating to the vision of colours: with observations., journal=Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, year=1798, volume=5, pages=28–45


Notes

{{notelist


References

{{Reflist, 30em, refs= *{{cite patent , url=http://www.google.com/patents/CA2704584C?cl=en , title=Flower pigmentation in pelargonium hortorum , country=CA , number=2704584 , pubdate=October 29, 2013 , status=grant , gdate= , fdate=Nov 14, 2008 , pridate= , inventor=Hanes, Mitchell E. , invent1= , invent2= , assign1= , assign2= , class= {{cite web , title=''Pelargonium'' L'Hér. ex Aiton , url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30302759-2 , website=Plants of the World Online , publisher=
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,10 ...
, access-date=2 August 2020
*The Pelargonium Page
/ref>


Bibliography


Books

{{refbegin, 40em * {{cite book, last1=Bakker , first1=F. T. , last2=Culham , first2=A. , last3=Gibby , first3=M. , author-link3=Mary Gibby, chapter=Chapter16. Phylogenetics and diversification in Pelargonium , editor1-last=Hollingsworth , editor1-first=P. , editor2-last=Bateman , editor2-first=R. , editor3-last=Gornall , editor3-first=R. , title=Molecular Systematics and Plant Evolution , year=1999 , publisher=CRC Press , isbn=978-0-7484-0908-2 , doi=10.1201/9781439833278.ch16 , pages=353–374 , doi-broken-date=2024-11-12 , name-list-style=amp * {{cite book, last1=Boddy, first1=Kasia, title=Geranium, date=2013, publisher=Reaktion Books, location=London, isbn=9781780230580, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=24eoWcnoyfcC, access-date=31 July 2015 * {{cite book, last1=Butterfield, first1=Harry Morton, title=Geraniums and pelargoniums for the home garden, date=1953, publisher=University of California, location=Berkeley, url=https://archive.org/details/geraniumspelargo12butt, access-date=23 July 2015 * {{cite book, editor1-last=Lis-Balchin, editor1-first=Maria, title=Geranium and pelargonium: the genera geranium and pelargonium, date=2002, publisher=Taylor & Francis, location=London, isbn=978-0-415-28487-5, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-bR8GxQ6BU0C, access-date=12 July 2015 * {{cite book , last=Mabberley , first=David J , title=Mabberley's Plant-Book , year=2013 , publisher=Cambridge University Press , isbn=978-1107782594 , chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZFFgAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT641 , chapter=Pelargonium , page=641 , edition=3 , access-date=17 August 2014 * {{cite book, last1=Taylor, first1=Judith M., title=Visions of Loveliness: Great Flower Breeders of the Past, date=2014, publisher=Ohio University Press, isbn=9780804040624, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RWuZBgAAQBAJ, access-date=23 July 2015 * {{cite book, author1=van der Walt , author2=Vorster , others=Illustrated by Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst , title=Pelargoniums of Southern Africa (3 vols) , date=1971–1988 , publisher=Purnell , location=Cape Town & Johannesburg , name-list-style=amp * {{cite book, last1=Wilkinson, first1=Ann, title=The Passion for Pelargoniums. How They Found Their Place in the Garden, date=2007, publisher=The History Press, location=Stroud, isbn=9780752496061, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6787AwAAQBAJ, access-date=12 July 2015


Historical

* {{cite book , url=http://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/ing/Libro.php?Libro=1386 , last=Dillenius , first=Johann Jakob , author-link=Dillenius , title=Hortus Elthamensis seu Plantarum Rariorum ... , publisher=Sumptibus Auctoris , location=London , date=1732 , access-date=26 July 2015 , language=la , archive-date=4 March 2016 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205341/http://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/ing/Libro.php?Libro=1386 , url-status=dead *
''Hortus Elthamensis''
on Gallica * {{cite book , url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/669#/summary , last=Linnaeus , first=Carl , author-link=Carl Linnaeus , title=Species Plantarum, ... , publisher=Impensis Laurentii Salvii , location=Stockholm , date=1753 , doi=10.5962/bhl.title.669 , language=la * {{cite book , url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/102247#/summary , last=Sweet , first=Robert , author-link=Robert Sweet (botanist) , title=Geraniaceae: The Natural Order of Gerania , volume=I , publisher=James Ridgeway , location=Piccadilly , date=1822 , doi=10.5962/bhl.title.102247 , hdl=2027/gri.ark:/13960/t61580v6m * {{cite book , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTJCAAAAYAAJ , last1=Dauthenay , first1=Henri , title=Les Géraniums (Pelargonium zonale & inquinans): description et culture ... , publisher=Octave Doin , location=Paris , date=1897 , access-date=12 July 2015 , language=fr * {{cite encyclopedia , url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/29309#/summary , last=Bailey , first=L.H. , author-link=L.H.Bailey , title=The Cyclopedia of American Horticulture , format=4 vols. , publisher=Macmillan , location=New York , date=1906 , orig-year=1900 , edition=5th , doi=10.5962/bhl.title.29309 , doi-access=free * {{cite encyclopedia , url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/23351#/summary , last=Bailey , first=L.H. , author-link=L.H.Bailey , title=The Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture , format=6 vols. , publisher=Macmillan , location=New York , date=1919 , orig-year=1900 , edition=3rd , doi=10.5962/bhl.title.23351 , doi-access=free {{refend


Articles and theses

{{refbegin, 40em * {{cite journal , last1=Aedo , first1=Carlos , last2=Garmendia , first2=Félix Muñoz , title=Some Notes on the Sectional Nomenclature of Geranium (Geraniaceae) , journal=Taxon , volume=45 , issue=1 , date=Feb 1996 , pages=104–106 , doi=10.2307/1222593 , jstor=1222593 , bibcode=1996Taxon..45..104A , name-list-style=amp * {{cite journal, last1=Bakker, first1=Freek T., last2=Culham, first2=Alastair, last3=Pankhurst, first3=Clive E., last4=Gibby, first4=Mary, author-link4=Mary Gibby, title=Mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA-based phylogeny of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) , journal=Am. J. Bot. , date=May 2000 , volume=87 , issue=5 , pages=727–734 , ref={{harvid, Bakker et al, 2000 , doi=10.2307/2656859 , jstor=2656859 , pmid=10811797, name-list-style=amp * {{cite journal, last1=Bakker, first1=Freek T., last2=Culham, first2=Alastair, last3=Hettiarachi , first3=Priyani , last4=Touloumenidou , first4=Tasoula , last5=Gibby , first5=Mary, author-link5=Mary Gibby, title=Phylogeny of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) based on DNA sequences from three genomes , journal=Taxon , volume=53 , issue=1 , date=Feb 2004 , pages=17–28 , url=http://edepot.wur.nl/37026 , doi=10.2307/4135485 , jstor=4135485 , bibcode=2004Taxon..53Q..17B , name-list-style=amp, url-access=subscription * {{cite thesis , last=Lalli , first=Jacqueline Yolande Yvette , date=2005 , title=In Vitro Pharmacological Properties and Composition of Leaf Essential Oils and Extracts of Selected Indigenous Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) Species , type=MPharm , publisher=University of the Witwatersrand , url=http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10539/1690/Dissertation.pdf , access-date=7 August 2017 * {{cite journal, last1=Röschenbleck, first1=J, last2=Albers, first2=F, last3=Müller, first3=K, last4=Weinl, first4=S, last5=Kudla, first5=J , title=Phylogenetics, character evolution and a subgeneric revision of the genus Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) , journal=Phytotaxa , date=11 February 2014 , volume=159 , issue=2 , pages=31–76 , url=http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/content/2014/f/p00159p076f.pdf , ref={{harvid, Roschenbleck et al, 2014 , name-list-style=amp, doi=10.11646/phytotaxa.159.2.1, bibcode=2014Phytx.159...31R * {{cite journal, last1=van der Walt, first1=J.J.A., title=Notes on the nomenclature of Pelargonium Geraniaceae, journal=Journal of South African Botany, date=1979, volume=45, issue=3 , pages=377–380, doi=10.5962/p.396918 , url=http://eurekamag.com/research/006/000/006000979.php, access-date=14 July 2015 * {{cite journal, last1=van der Walt, first1=J.J.A., last2=Vorster, first2=P.J., title=Typification of the Genus Pelargonium L'Hérit. (Fam. Geraniaceae), journal=Taxon, date=February 1981, volume=30, issue=1, pages=307, doi=10.2307/1219408, jstor=1219408 , bibcode=1981Taxon..30..307V , name-list-style=amp {{refend


Societies

{{refbegin, 40em * {{cite web, last1=ISHS, title=International Society for Horticultural Science, url=http://www.ishs.org/, access-date=13 July 2015, date=2015, author1-link=International Society for Horticultural Science * {{cite web, last1=RHS, title=Royal Horticultural Society, url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/, access-date=19 June 2015, date=2015, author1-link=Royal Horticultural Society * {{cite web, last1=PAGS, title=The Pelargonium & Geranium Society, url=https://thepags.org/, access-date=25 Jan 2023, date=2023 * {{cite web, last1=AGS, title=Australian Geranium Society, url=http://www.australiangeraniumsociety.org.au/, access-date=8 July 2015, date=2014 * {{cite web, last1=HSA, title=The Herb Society of America, url=http://www.herbsociety.org/, access-date=12 July 2015, date=2015, archive-date=24 September 2015, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924025744/http://www.herbsociety.org/factsheets/Pelargonium%20Guide.pdf, url-status=bot: unknown** * {{cite web, last1=Amadio, first1=Marisa, title=The Geraniaceae Group, url=http://www.geraniaceae-group.org/, access-date=13 July 2015, date=2015 {{refend


External links

{{Commons category
''The Pelargonium Page'': descriptions of botanical species with plant and habitat photos, illustrations and literature

Pacific Bulb Society: Pelargonium (tuberous species)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q146118 {{Authority control Geraniales genera Garden plants Medicinal plants Taxa named by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle