Alpine Crane's-bill

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©Geranium sessiliflorum Richard Hartland CC-BY

Geranium sessiliflorum

Small plant to 10 cm high with a fleshy or woody taproot. Round to kidney-shaped leaves forming a rosette at the base of the plant with 5-7 broad, tri-lobed sections. Single red, crimson or even purple flowers with narrow petals and virtually no stem.

Details
Flora Type
Herbs
Former Scientific Name
Geranium sessiliflorum ssp. brevicaule
Distinctive Features

Single stalkless deeply coloured flowers and rosette habit are distinctive. Most of plant covered with downward-pointing (retrose) hairs pressed closely to the plant (appressed).
Biology

Perennial. Alpine and sub-alpine grasslands. Seed has an awn or bristle that helps it to pierce the soil crust for germination.
Native Status
Native
Flowering Time

Dec-Apr
Taxonomy
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants)
Order
Geraniales
Family
Geraniaceae
Genus
Geranium
Species
solanderi

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Many Geranium species have branched or single tapered tuberous taproots that were roasted as food by Aboriginal people. The roots of some species contain high levels of tannins and were used as an anti-diarrhoeal.

Interesting Facts
Native Status
Native