Geranium brevicaule

Alpine Crane's-bill at The Tops at Nurenmerenmong

Geranium brevicaule at The Tops at Nurenmerenmong - 10 Jan 2024
Geranium brevicaule at The Tops at Nurenmerenmong - 10 Jan 2024
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Identification history

Geranium antrorsum 17 Jan 2024 Tapirlord
Geranium brevicaule 15 Jan 2024 Tapirlord
Geranium brevicaule 15 Jan 2024 JaneR

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Significant sighting

Tapirlord noted:

15 Jan 2024

Rarely seen, this is a very nice sighting

User's notes

low, and somewhat inconspicuous: usually only 1-2 seen at any place; but individuals occur infrequently

9 comments

RogerF wrote:
   16 Jan 2024
The only problem I have with this ID is that the hairs do not appear to be retrose. This distinguishes it from antrosum in the PlantNet key. Red and pink flower forms of antrosum are known. Red and pink flowered plants were growing side by side at the Tops both along the track shown here and on the plain. I examined the hairs with a lens in the field and found them identical. Maybe there is another character to distinguish the two species.
RogerF wrote:
   16 Jan 2024
Sorry, I mispelt antrorsum
JaneR wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
Plants were isolated with, no other (paler) plants near it, in this locality which was woodland (along firetrail) not plains where darker and lighter plants were very evident side by side.
Initial identification as G. brevicaule followed Vic Flora, key characteristics being low habit and length of petals to sepals. I did not inspect hairs with hand lens.
Tapirlord wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
Yes, I must admit I was also going off of length ratio between the petals and sepals. Didn't consider whether the hairs were antrorse or retrorse, though the Vicflora key does seem to imply that in G.brevicaule the hairs are only usually retrorse. Forest, and not swampy or open habitat is very interesting, this should be a plant of exposed areas as I understand it. Perhaps we should reconsider?
JaneR wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
Certainly. Re-checking habitat for both species shows G. antrorsum distribution includes montane forests as well as grasslands, whereas G. brevicaule is limited to treeless areas.
RogerF wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
There were specimens of pale flowered antrorsum along the trail in the forest and I had a conversation with Maartje about the two colour forms. It seems an unlikely habitat for brevicaule that is supposed to be restricted to alpine grasslands rather than montane habitats. I will ask Jackie Miles for an opinion using my photo.
JaneR wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
Ok, Tapirlord
Tapirlord wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
Just leaving the ID as a suggestion, will wait for what Jackie has to say
JaneR wrote:
   17 Jan 2024
Ok. The matching the photo above to the one Jackie is looking at ?

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Nearby sightings

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Location information

Sighting information

Additional information

  • Less than 10cm Plant height
  • True In flower

Species information

  • Geranium brevicaule Scientific name
  • Alpine Crane's-bill Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Rare or uncommon native
  • Non-Invasive
  • Up to 1162.71m Recorded at altitude
  • Machine learning
  • In flower
  • External link More information
  • Synonyms

    Geranium sessiliflorum subsp. brevicaule

Record quality

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  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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