Erodium cicutarium (L.) L'Hér.

Annual, at first stemless, later usually with 1 or more hairy stems; plant extremely variable in size, from prostrate to c. 50 cm high and c. 75 cm wide, not musk-scented. Lvs to c. 15 cm long, pinnate, hairy, sometimes densely so, sometimes glandular; petiole longer in rosette and lower cauline lvs. Leaflets sessile, ovate, deeply and finely pinnately dissected with linear to lanceolate lobes, often densely covered in white hairs. Stipules triangular, often broad, membranous, ciliate, silvery; midrib green, forming an acute or mucronate apex. Umbels (2)–5–12-flowered; bracts broad-ovate, membranous, with green keeled midrib forming an acute to short-acuminate apex. Peduncles densely covered in glandular hairs, often > upper cauline lvs; pedicels ± = calyx at anthesis. Sepals (2.5)–3–5 mm long at anthesis, lanceolate, hirsute or glandular, mucronate. Petals 4–6 mm long, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, usually pink or mauve-pink, rarely white; claw short, hairy. Stamens c. 3 mm long; filaments widened at base, without lateral teeth, usually pinkish; anthers dark purple. Staminodes narrow-lanceolate. Fr. beak 3–3.5 cm long, with appressed hairs. Mericarps densely hirsute with hairs of differing lengths; apical pits eglandular, with a prominent shallow glabrous furrow beneath.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Sep.–May.