Erodium

and California

This site was created and is maintained by Benjamin Coultrup.

Photos all ©Benjamin Coultrup unless otherwise indicated, 1984-2021.

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Erodium

Classification

Species

Clade I, Subclade 1

Subgenus Erodium

 - Section Erodium

 - Section Oxyrynchia

 - stephanianum group

Clade I, Subclade 2

Subgenus Barbata

 - Section  Absinthoidea

Clade II, Subclade 3

 - cygnorum group

Clade II, Subclade 4

 - botrys group

 - Section Cicutaria,

   - Subsection Cicutaria

   - Subsection Acaulia

 - Section Malacoidea

   - Subsection Reichardia

   - Subsection Malacoidea

 - Section Foetida

California

Literature and References

Notes

Erodium somanum Peșmen


Clade I; Subclade 2; Section Absinthoidea


A dioecious perennial similar to E. sibthorpianum and E. absinthoides. Plants are wide hard hummocks, up to 60cm across, with a black woody taproot.


Leaves bipinnatisect, oblong-elliptic, 6-16 x 15-37mm, with a few intercalary leaflets. Leaflets have 3-5 segments, which are linear and acute. Leaves are canescent (white with long appressed hairs).


Inflorescence: Flowering stems are erect to 20 cm, with 2-4 peduncles. The umbels have 3-5 flowers in female plants and 6-11 in male plants. Umbels have several pale grey bracts. Petals are pale sulphur-yellow, with darker veins, broadly obovate, 3-8 x 6-12mm. Sepals are 2-5 x 4-8mm, with a 0.5-1.5mm mucro. Beak is long, 4.8 - 8cm, and stout. The mericarp is 9-12mm, light brown, and has 2 shallow foveoles, without a furrow beneath.



Distribution: endemic to Western Turkey in rocky habitats, above 800m, in the Güllük Mountains in Soma, Manisa, critically endangered.

E. sibthorpianum differs in having lilac flowers, leaves less canescent, and a shorter beak, E absinthoides has lax rosettes, white flowers and a longer sepal mucro.


Erodium somanum