Erodium

Taxobox

---

image_caption = "Erodium malacoides"
name = "Erodium"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Geraniales
familia = Geraniaceae
genus = "Erodium"
genus_authority = Aiton
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Erodium" is a genus of the botanical family Geraniaceae. The genus includes about 60 species, for the most part originating in the Mediterranean or Western Asian regions. American species are known as filarees or heron's bill, Eurasian ones are usually called storksbills.

Linnaeus grouped in the same genre ("Geranium") the three similar genera "Erodium", "Geranium", and "Pelargonium". The distinction between them was made by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle based on the number of stamens or anthers: five for "Erodium", seven for "Pelargonium", and ten for "Geranium". However, the three genera have the same characteristics in regard to their fruit, which resemble long bird beaks. That characteristic is the basis for the names: "Geranium" evokes the crane (Greek "geranos"), "Pelargonium" the stork ("pelargos") and "Erodium" the heron ("erodios").

"Erodium" species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Pasture Day Moth.

pecies

*"Erodium acaule" (L.) Bech. & Thell.
*"Erodium aethiopicum" (Lam.) Brumh. & Thell.
*"Erodium botrys" (Cav.) Bertol.
*"Erodium chium" (L.) Willd.
*"Erodium ciconium" (L.) L’Hér.
*"Erodium cicutarium" (L.) L’Hér.
*"Erodium corsicum" Léman
*"Erodium crispum" Lapeyr.
*"Erodium foetidum" (L.) L'Hér.
*"Erodium glandulosum" (Cav.) Willd.
*"Erodium laciniatum" (Cav.) Willd.
*"Erodium lebelii" Jord.
*"Erodium malacoides" (L.) L’Hér.
*"Erodium manescavii" Coss.
*"Erodium maritimum" (L.) L’Hér.
*"Erodium moschatum" (L.) L’Hér.
*"Erodium rodiei" (Braun-Blanq.) Poirion
*"Erodium salzmannii" Delile
*"Erodium texanum" A. Gray

References

*