Erodium

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Erodium
Erodium cicutarium
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Geraniales Family: Geraniaceae Genus: Erodium Aiton
Species
See text.

Erodium is a genus of the botanical family Geraniaceae. The genus includes about 60 species, for the most part originating in the Mediterranean or Western Asian regions. American species are known as filarees, Eurasian ones are usually called storksbills.

Linnaeus grouped in the same genre (Geranium) the three similar genera Erodium, Geranium, and Pelargonium. The distinction between them was made by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle based on the number of stamens or anthers: five for Erodium, seven for Pelargonium, and ten for Geranium. However, the three genera have the same characteristics in regard to their fruit, which resemble long bird beaks. That characteristic is the basis for the names: Geranium evokes the crane (Greek geranos), Pelargonium the stork (pelargos) and Erodium the heron (erodios).

Erodium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Pasture Day Moth.

[edit] Species

• Erodium acaule (L.) Bech. & Thell.
• Erodium aethiopicum (Lam.) Brumh. & Thell.
• Erodium botrys (Cav.) Bertol.
• Erodium chium (L.) Willd.
• Erodium ciconium (L.) L’Hér.
• Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér.
• Erodium corsicum Léman
• Erodium crispum Lapeyr.
• Erodium foetidum (L.) L'Hér.
• Erodium glandulosum (Cav.) Willd.
• Erodium laciniatum (Cav.) Willd.
• Erodium lebelii Jord.
• Erodium malacoides (L.) L’Hér.
• Erodium manescavii Coss.
• Erodium maritimum (L.) L’Hér.
• Erodium moschatum (L.) L’Hér.
• Erodium rodiei (Braun-Blanq.) Poirion
• Erodium salzmannii Delile

[edit] References

• PINK, A. Gardening for the Million.