Herbs, annual, biennial or perennial. Leaves opposite or alternate, simple or
compound; stipules usually 2. Peduncles usually solitary or axillary, 1-or more-flowered.
Flowers often showy, bisexual, usually regular, rarely irregular, axillary, solitary or in
pairs, racemose or in umbel-like clusters. Sepals 5, free. Petals as many as sepals.
Stamens 10 or 5; alternate ones antherless in Erodium; filaments free or united at base;
anthers 2-celled, versatile. Carpels free; ovary 5-lobed; styles 5, adnate to central axis
or partially united; stigma terminal, linear or capitate; ovules 4-many in each locule.
Fruits capsular, breaking up when ripe into 5 distinct, 1-seeded mericarps, often united
to long-awned or opening by 5 valves; seeds few to many, attached to central axis of
capsule.
Cosmopolitan, many are garden favourites; 5 genera and ca 750 species; 4 genera
and 45 species in India including 11 cultivated species.
Literature.
NASIR, Y.J. (1983). Geraniacoae. In: NASIR, E. & S.I. ALI, Fl. Pakistan 149: 1 - 43. YEO, P.F. (1986). Hardy Geraniums.
KEY TO THE GENERA
1a. Flowers zyaomorphic; posterior sepal produced into a slender nectariferous spur at base
