Geranium richardsonii

Wild White Geranium

Mature Flower Pistil

Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
24-June-2008

The sepals, petals, and stamens have been removed from this flower.  The pistil is composed of five united carpels which are adnate to a central column (columella) that is hidden from view in this photograph.  The style terminates in five stigmas which separate and coil backwards as the flower matures.

Note the hairs tipped with purple glands.

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Richardsonii: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bulletplants perennial, with rootstocks or caudices; NOT [plants annual or biennial]
bulletpetals much longer than sepals; NOT [petals scarcely longer than sepals]
bulletpetals 1-2 cm long; NOT [petals 2-8 mm long]
bulletpetals white or purple-tinged; NOT [petals purple to rose to pink, rarely white]
bulletpetals pilose on the inner surface one-third to one-half their length; NOT [petals pilose inside not one-fourth their length]

 

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Geranium: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 
bulletleaves palmately divided; NOT [leaves pinnately divided]
bulletleaves palmately veined; NOT [leaves pinnately veined]
bulletanthers 10; NOT [anthers 5]
bulletstylar parts glabrous within; NOT [stylar parts bearded within]
bullettails of capsules merely curved; NOT [tails of capsules twisted at maturity]
bulletcapsule round; NOT [capsule spindle-shaped]

 

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Geraniaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.
bulletherbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
bulletplants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]
bulletplants NOT with colored milky juice
bulletplants with more than one normal leaf
bulletsome or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]
bulletleaves with stipules; NOT [leaves without stipules, or having glands]
bulletleaves palmately divided; NOT [leaves of three leaflets]
bulletflowers regular in shape; NOT [flowers irregular in shape]
bulletflowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others
bulletcalyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]
bulletstamens 5 or 10; NOT [stamens usually numerous]
bulletstamens usually separate or partly so, not in a column; NOT [stamens numerous, united into a column]
bulletovary of 5 united carpels; NOT [ovary of one or more carpels, either separate or enclosed by a fleshy receptacle]
bulletfruit with a long beak; NOT [fruit not beaked]