Dovefoot Geranium

Geranium molle L.

Geraniaceae (Geranium Family)

▲▼young plants

young plant ▲

▲▼mature, flowering plants

▲▼mature, flowering plants

▲▼flowers 

▲ comparison between flowers of dovefoot geranium (right) and smallflower geranium (right) 

▲ comparison between flowering stems of smallflower geranium (top) and dovefoot geranium (bottom) 

▲ comparison of wrinkled fruit of dovefoot geranium (left), with more hairy, but not wrinkled fruit of smallflower geranium (right)

▲ leaf comparison among annual geraniums:  Carolina geranium (lower left), dovefoot geranium (top center), and smallflower geranium (right)

·         Dovefoot Geranium: 

o   similar to Carolina geranium, except leaves and plant smaller, less deeply lobed

o   flowers are deep pink, about ¼” across, with 5 notched petals, purple-blue stigma lobes and 10 stamens

o   seed pods are hairless, but wrinkled (need magnifying glass to see)

o   leaves on flowering stems usually more deeply lobed than on smallflower geranium

o   increasing in southwest Missouri