Geranium purpureum Vill.

Annual or biennial, hairy, taprooted herb, with sprawling to suberect branched stems to c. 30 cm long, and characteristic scent. Stem base sometimes short and thick with a rosette of lvs. Petioles to c. 10 cm long, reddish where exposed to strong light, usually hairy along 1 side. Lamina very deeply palmately divided, 1.5–5–(7) × 2–6–(8) cm, ± broad-ovate, with hairs scattered above, nearly glabrous below, often turning red with age; lobes 5, pinnatisect or less commonly pinnatifid; ultimate segments mucronate. Infl. very diffuse; fls paired; peduncles and pedicels variable, with simple and glandular hairs, often with a line of hairs along 1 side. Sepals (at anthesis) 5–8 mm long including apical awn, ovate, with mostly glandular hairs, ± reddish. Petals 6–9 mm long, ± oblanceolate, pink to rose; claw a little > limb; apex rounded. Filaments pinkish; anthers yellow. Mericarps 2.5–3 mm long, with short hairs; upper ⅔ with many, close, transverse ridges. Seed smooth.

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

Flowering: Sep.–Jan.