Erodium stephanianum Willd.

A plant of dry areas from 2000-3000 m. The habit and foliage is that of Erodium ciconium but it differs in the eglandular parts, the narrower segments and toothed filaments.

Annual 45 cm or more tall, retrose-pubescent hairy. Leaves pinnatisect into 1-2 segment pairs; segments pinnatifid-partite into linear acute lobes. Stipules 5-7 mm long, lanceolate, pubescent, long ciliate. Bracts similar but smaller, scarious. Peduncles 2-3 flowered, 4-6.5 cm long. Sepals lanceolate, oblong, ± 5.5 mm long, up to 7 mm in fruit, ciliate, 3-nerved, hairy on the nerves, margin broad membranous, awn 2.5-3 mm long. Petals pink, slightly exceeding sepals, base ciliate. Filaments 4-4.5 mm long, base dilated, 2-toothed and ciliate. Beak 2.4-3.4 cm long, appressed pubescent. Mericarps 6 mm long, white setose, pits 2, not prominent.

Perennials 20-50(-120) cm tall. Stems numerous, ascending to decumbent. Stipules triangular-lanceolate, 3-8 mm. Leaves opposite; leaf blade 4-7 cm, ovate to triangular-ovate, pinnately parted with basal pair of lobes distinct, both surfaces sparsely appressed pilose. Pseudoumbels conspicuously longer than leaves, with 2-5 hermaphrodite flowers; peduncle both spreading pilose and retrorsely pubescent. Pedicel 1/4-1/3 as long as peduncle. Sepals oblong-ovate, 6-9 mm, hirsute, apex awned. Petals purple, without a basal spot, obovate, 5-7 mm. Mericarp 8-11 mm, with apical pit, without ridges or furrows; awn not plumose. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

C. Asia, Afghanistan, Himalaya (Kashmir, Nepal), Tibet, Siberia, Mongolia, China.

Distribution: C. Asia, E. & W. Siberia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Baltistan, Waziris¬tan, Kashmir, Tibet, China and Japan.

Anhui, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang [Afghanistan, Kashmir, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia].

2500-4000 m

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Meadows, steppes, flood plains, farmlands; 400-4000 m.

Erodium stephanianum var. atranthum Nakai ex Kitagawa.