Geranium solanderi


Geranium solanderi is a species of plant in the family Geraniaceae. It is native to Australia, and to New Zealand.
It was first described in 1800 by Daniel Solander as Geranium pilosum, from a specimen found in New Zealand. However, the name was illegal and it was renamed in 1965 by Roger Charles Carolin, with the species epithet, solanderi, honouring Solander.

Description

Geranium solanderi is a perennial, spreading herb with the ends growing upward. The stemas are up 50 cm long, and coarsely hairy. The taproot is swollen and often like a turnip.
The leaves on the flowering stems are opposite and palmatisect . They are 1–3 cm long by 1.5–5 cm wide, with 5–10 lobes, and hairy on a stalk up to 5 cm long.
The flowers are paired on an inflorescence stald which is 1–4 cm long, with each flower on a flower stalk which is 2.5–5 cm long. The sepals are 5–9 mm long, and the pink petals are 5–12 mm long, pink and often have yellowish veins. The anthers are yellow. The fruits are 12–25 mm long and the seeds are black.

Conservation status

In New Zealand, in both 2004 and 2009 it was declared "Not threatened", but in 2012, under the New Zealand Threat Classification System it was declared "At Risk - Declining", with the qualifiers SO and DP, and this status was reaffirmed in 2017.

Aboriginal uses

The Noongar people of south west Western Australia used the older red tuberous roots to treat diarrhoea.