Erodium cygnorum

Erodium cygnorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Geraniales
Family: Geraniaceae
Genus: Erodium
Species: E. cygnorum
Nees

Erodium cygnorum is a species of herb native to Australia.

It is commonly known as blue heronsbill in Western Australia,[1] and blue storksbill in South Australia.[2] In the United States, where the species is cultivated as a garden plant, it is commonly known as Australian stork's bill[3] and Australian filaree.[4] In the British Isles, it is commonly known as western stork's-bill.[5]

Description

It grows as an annual or perennial herb up to 60 centimetres high, with blue, purple or pink flowers.[1]

Taxonomy

This species was published in 1845, based on a specimen collected from the vicinity of Perth, Western Australia by Ludwig Preiss in 1839. In 1958, Roger Charles Carolin published a subspecies, Erodium cygnorum subsp. glandulosum, but this has since been promoted to species rank as E. carolinianum.[6] No infraspecific taxa of E. cygnorum are currently recognised.

Distribution and habitat

It is native to Australia, occurring in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.[7] The National Herbarium of New South Wales lists E. cygnorum as also occurring in New South Wales,[8] but they further identify their specimens as E. cygnorum subsp. glandulosum;[9] that is, E. carolinianum.

It favours red sand or clay loam, occurring in low-lying flats, along creeklines and on the margins of salt lakes.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Erodium cygnorum Nees". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.
  2. ↑ "Erodium cygnorum". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)., citing Jessop, J. P. & Toelken, H. R. (1986). Flora of South Australia (4th ed.).
  3. ↑ "Erodium cygnorum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Erodium cygnorum Nees". CalFlora. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  5. ↑ "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  6. ↑ "Erodium cygnorum subsp. glandulosum Carolin". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  7. ↑ "Erodium cygnorum". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
  8. ↑ New South Wales Flora Online: Erodium cygnorum by Nees, Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
  9. ↑ New South Wales Flora Online: Erodium cygnorum subsp. glandulosum by Carolin, Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.


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