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Richardson's
Geranium
Common
Name(s):
Richardsons geranium
Scientific
Name:
Geranium
richardsonii Fisch. & Trautv.
Scientific
Name Synonyms:
None known
Symbol:
GERI
Description:
Life
Span: Perennial
Origin:Native
Season: Cool
Growth Characteristics:
A
flowering forb, growing 4 to 36 inches tall, with 1 to a few stems.
Stems are stout, forked, and hairy. Flowers May to August, fruits
mature August to September. Reproduces by seed.
Flowers/Inflorescence:
Flowers
in pairs. Flowers are usually white to pink colored with purple
veins and five petals. The flower stalks are always hairy.
Fruits/Seeds:Each
seed is tipped with an elongated tail, which coils spirally at maturity,
assisting the pointed seed in penetrating the soil.
Leaves: Palmately
lobed, upper leaves smaller in size. Petioles of basal and lower
leaves are hairy, but not sticky. Leaves give off a distinctive
odor when crushed.
Ecological
Adaptations:
Richardson's
geranium occurs in a variety of habitats including woodlands, forest
openings, grasslands, meadows, and riparian areas such as stream
terraces, alluvial benches, wet valley bottoms, and stream and lake
margins. It is most commonly found in moist areas. It is moderately
tolerant of drought.
Soils: Richardson's
geranium grows best on moist to semiwet soils with good drainage.
It grows best on loam, sandy loam, and clayey loam soils derived
from shale and limestone, but occurs on gravelly substrates as well.
Associated Species:
Sagebrush,
rabbitbrush, tall larkspur, lupine,
willows, sedges, brome grasses.
Uses and
Management:
Richardson's
geranium is a valuable forage species for livestock, deer and elk.
It is rated good for sheep and fair for cattle and horses. It decreases
in palatability after reaching maturity.
Cheyenne Indians pulverized leaves into a powder and snuffed it
into their noses to control nosebleeds. Roots were also powdered
and made into a drink.
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