Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Pelargonium australe

Flowers and leaves. Photographer Richard Hartland, Barfold, Vic

Flowers and leaves. Photographer Don Wood, Green Cape Lighthouse, south of Eden

Flowering stem. Photographer Don Wood, Namadgi National Park, ACT

Common name

Native storksbill, Wild geranium, Austral storksbill

Family

Geraniaceae

Where found

Rocky sites, dunes, lake margins, and along streams. Widespread. Uncommon in the ranges.

Notes

Perennial herb to 0.8 m tall or sprawling.  Stems hairy to almost hairless, sticky.  Leaves slightly aromatic when rubbed, opposite each other, 2-18 cm long, 20-180 mm wide (sometimes larger), hairy to hairless, usually with 5-7 shallow lobes, sometimes unlobed, margins toothed to scalloped, often wavy, bases usually cordate  Flowers pink to white with darker markings, with 5 petals each 6-10 mm long, and 7-8 stamens that produce pollen. Sepals 3–7 mm long, sparsely to densely hairy, sometimes slightly sticky, sepal spur 1–8 mm long. Flowers in 4-12 flowered clusters. Flowers Spring to Autumn.

All native plants on unleased land in the ACT are protected.

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Pelargonium~australe (accessed 25 January, 2021)