# Geranium molle

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{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{speciesbox
| image = Geranium molle-01 (xndr).jpg
| genus = Geranium
| species = molle
| authority = [L.](/source/Carl_Linnaeus)
}}

'''Geranium molle''', the '''dove's-foot crane's-bill'''<ref>{{Citation |year=2007 |title=BSBI 2007 list |publisher=Botanical Society of the British Isles |url=http://www.bsbi.org.uk/BSBI2007.xls |accessdate=2012-02-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090707234654/http%3A//www.bsbi.org.uk/BSBI2007.xls |archivedate=2009-07-07 }}</ref> or '''dovesfoot geranium''',<ref>{{Citation |year=1994 |title=Plants of Coastal British Columbia |author=Pojar and MacKinnon}}</ref> is an [annual](/source/Annual_plant) [herbaceous](/source/herbaceous) plant of the family [Geraniaceae](/source/Geraniaceae).

== Description ==
''Geranium molle'' is a small plant reaching on average {{convert|5|-|30|cm}} in height.<ref name=Pignatti>Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982. Vol. II, pag. 10</ref> It is a very branched plant, quite [hairy](/source/Trichome), with several ascending stems. The leaves are palmate, cut 5 to 9 times. The basal leaves are arranged in a rosette, the upper ones are sessile, rounded and hairy, with a long petiole of about {{convert|5|-|12|mm}}.<ref name=Pignatti/> The flowers are pinkish-purple, 8–12&nbsp;mm in diameter, with very jagged petals. It blooms from April to September. The flowers are [hermaphrodite](/source/Glossary_of_botanical_terms) and mainly pollinated by [Hymenoptera](/source/Hymenoptera). Fruits are glabrous, usually with 6-9 transverse ridges.<ref name=Pignatti/>

== Synonyms ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*''Geranium luganense'' [Chenevard](/source/Chenevard)   <ref>Synonyms from [http://www.catalogueoflife.org/show_species_details.php?record_id=3706077 Catalogue of life]{{Dead link|date=December 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
*''Geranium abortivum'' [De Not.](/source/De_Not.) ex [Ces.](/source/Ces.)
*''Geranium brutium [b] micranthum'' [N.Terracc.](/source/N.Terracc.)
*''Geranium brutium'' [Gasp.](/source/Gasp.)
*''Geranium calabrum'' [Ten.](/source/Michele_Tenore)
*''Geranium leiocaulon'' [Ledeb.](/source/Ledeb.)
*''Geranium x luganense'' [Chenevard](/source/Chenevard)
*''Geranium macropetalum'' ([Boiss.](/source/Boiss.)) [Posp.](/source/Posp.)
*''Geranium molle [a] triviale'' ([A.Terracc.](/source/A.Terracc.)) Gortani & [M.Gortani](/source/M.Gortani)
*''Geranium molle [b] caespitosum'' ([N.Terracc.](/source/N.Terracc.)) [Graebn.](/source/Graebn.)
*''Geranium molle [b] leiocaulon'' (Ledeb.) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [B] pinguis'' ([K.Malý](/source/K.Mal%C3%BD)) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [B] stipulare'' (Kunze) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [c] parvulum'' (Ten.) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle f. albiflorum'' [R.Uechtr.](/source/R.Uechtr.)
*''Geranium molle f. annuum'' ([Schur](/source/Philipp_Johann_Ferdinand_Schur)) [Gams](/source/Gams)
*''Geranium molle f. candidum'' [Beck](/source/G%C3%BCnther_von_Mannagetta_und_L%C3%ABrchenau_Beck)
*''Geranium molle f. pinguis'' [K.Malý](/source/K.Mal%C3%BD)
*''Geranium molle f. stipulare'' (Kunze) K.Malý
*''Geranium molle f. subperenne'' (Schur) Gams
*''Geranium molle [frm.] glabrata'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle [frm.] pygmaea'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle [frm.] sepincola'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle [frm.] tenuisecta'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle [frm.] trivialis'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle [frm.] villosissima'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle [I] annuum'' (Schur) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [I] triviale'' A.Terrac. ex Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [II] subperenne'' (Schur) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [II] tenuisecta'' ([A.Terracc.](/source/A.Terracc.)) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [l] album'' (Picard) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle [l] suaveolens'' (Boenn. ex Rchb.) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle subf. abortiva'' (De Not. ex [Cesati](/source/Vincenzo_de_Cesati)) A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle subsp. brutium'' (Gasp.) Graebn.
*''Geranium molle subsp. brutium'' (Gasp.) [P.H.Davis](/source/P.H.Davis)
*''Geranium molle subsp. normale'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle subsp. pollinense'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle subsp. sinjaricum'' Al-Shehbaz & Al-Khakani
*''Geranium molle subsp. stipulare'' ([Kunze](/source/Gustav_Kunze)) [Dostál](/source/Josef_Dost%C3%A1l_(botanist))
*''Geranium molle subsp. stipulare'' (Kunze) [Holmboe](/source/Jens_Holmboe_(botanist))
*''Geranium molle subsp. stipulare'' (Kunze) [Soó](/source/So%C3%B3)
*''Geranium molle subsp. villosum'' ([Ten.](/source/Michele_Tenore)) A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle subvar. macropetalum'' (Boiss.) [Gams](/source/Gams)
*''Geranium molle var. abortivum'' (De Not. ex Ces.) Ces., Pass. & Gibelli
*''Geranium molle var. abortivum'' (De Not. ex Ces.) Nyman
*''Geranium molle var. album'' Picard
*''Geranium molle var. annuum'' Schur
*''Geranium molle var. arenarium'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. brutium ''(Gasp.) K.Malý
*''Geranium molle var. caespitosum'' N.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. caucasicum'' Regel ex Woronow
*''Geranium molle var. corymbiferum'' [Just.](/source/Just.)
*''Geranium molle var. diffusum'' Ten. ex A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. elatum'' Ten. ex A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. graecum'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. grandiflorum'' Lange
*''Geranium molle var. grandiflorum'' [Lojac.](/source/Lojac.)
*''Geranium molle var. grandiflorum'' [Vis.](/source/Vis.)
*''Geranium molle var. grandiflorum'' [Viv.](/source/Viv.)
*''Geranium molle var. lucanum'' Gasp. ex Nyman
*''Geranium molle var. macropetalum ''Boiss.
*''Geranium molle var. maioriflorum'' Borbás
*''Geranium molle var. maritimum'' Lojac.
*''Geranium molle var. minus'' [Chevall.](/source/Chevall.)
*''Geranium molle var. montanum'' A.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. montanum'' A.Terracc. ex N.Terracc.
*''Geranium molle var. parvulum'' Ten.
*''Geranium molle var. stipulare'' (Kunze) Nyman
*''Geranium molle var. suaveolens'' Boenn. ex Rchb.
*''Geranium molle var. suaveolens'' (Boenn. ex Rchb.) Gams
*''Geranium molle var. subperenne'' Schur
*''Geranium molle var. supinum'' [Fouc.](/source/Fouc.) & Jouss.
*''Geranium molle var. typicum'' [Posp.](/source/Posp.)
*''Geranium molle var. villosum'' (Ten.) Cout.
*''Geranium molle var. vulcanicum'' A.Terracc.  
*''Geranium x oenense'' Borbás ex Hallier
*''Geranium pollinense'' N.Terracc. ex A.Terracc.
*''Geranium pseudovillosum'' Schur
*''Geranium punctatum'' Kanitz
*''Geranium pyrenaicum subsp. villosum'' (Ten.) Nyman
*''Geranium stipulare'' Kunze
*''Geranium villosum var. gracile'' Sennen
*''Geranium villosum var. villosissimum'' Ten.
*''Geranium villosum'' Ten.
{{div col end}}

==Distribution and habitat==
It is native to the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean areas, but has naturalized in other parts of [Europe](/source/Europe), in southwestern and central  Asia and in North Africa, though it may have already been in those parts and areas, just not properly identified.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} It is considered an [introduced species](/source/introduced_species) in North America, where it is known as '''Dovefoot Geranium''' or '''Awnless Geranium'''. Although non-native in parts of its range, this species poses little threat to native ecosystems.<ref>E-FLORA BC: ELECTRONIC ATLAS OF THE FLORA OF BRITISH COLUMBIA</ref>

It is found in dry meadows, hedges, banks and forest edges. It prefers sunny places on sandy and relatively dry soils,  at an altitude of {{convert|0|-|1000|m}} above sea level.<ref name=Pignatti/>

==Herbal medicine==
[Nicholas Culpeper](/source/Nicholas_Culpeper) in his herbal of 1652 suggested a variety of uses for ''G. molle'', including the treatment of internal and external injuries. A note was made that the bruised leaf healed external injuries faster. A decoction in wine was said to relieve gout and other joint pains.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Culpeper |first1=Nicholas |title=The English physitian: or an astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar herbs of this nation |location=London |publisher=Peter Cole |year=1652}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Geranium molle Sturm4.jpg|Figure from Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen, 1796
File:Geranium molle 001.JPG|Plant of ''Geranium molle''
File:(MHNT) Geranium molle - leaves, buds flower.jpg|Leaves, buds, flower
File:Geranium molle.jpg|Flowers of ''Geranium molle''
File:Geranium molle IMG 2481.jpg|Close-up of a flower of ''Geranium molle''
File:(MHNT) Geranium molle - Immature fruit.jpg|Immature fruit
File:Geranium molle IMG 2469.jpg|Hairy stem of ''Geranium molle''
File:Jong blad van Geranium molle var. Brutium. Locatie, Tuinreservaat Jonker vallei.jpg|Young leaves of ''Geranium molle var. Brutium''.
File:Wiki-Geranium-Molle-Spring-Automn.jpg|Leaf colouring from spring (top left) to autumn (bottom right) 
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Geranium molle}}
*[http://www.kuleuven-kortrijk.be/bioweb/?lang=en&detail=169 Universiteit Leuven Photo gallery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003094732/http://www.kuleuven-kortrijk.be/bioweb/?lang=en&detail=169 |date=2011-10-03 }}
*[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4416,4426,4432 Jepson Manual Treatment]
*[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Geranium+molle U.C. Photo gallery]
*[http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Geraniummolle_page.htm Geranium molle] Flowers in Israel

{{Taxonbar|from=Q164017}}

molle
Category:Flora of Europe
Category:Flora of the United Kingdom
Category:Flora of Lebanon
Category:Plants described in 1753
Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Geranium molle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium_molle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium_molle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
