*I currently cannot put a firm name on this (the species photographed in the top image, that is) - shall comment further in due course. The situation is complicated further by the likelihood of more than one Geranium growing here and that both species are in the photos? The lowest and top images do not, to me, match well. The leaf below the flower shown in the bottom image do not tally with the geranium in the top image . In the 3rd of the smaller images, the lower flower does not match the upper two. I also seem to be able to detect large stipules which suggest one of the two geraniums is Geranium wallichianum - the accompanying flowers and foliage support this - they certainly do not belong to the other Geranium and are not part of the G.collinium-pratense-himalayense alliance (see below). Auli is certainly at the right sort of altitude to find G.wallichianum. So it seems likely that Dinesh photographed two Geraniums, thinking that there was only one. I have done this with other genera but just goes to show that some geraniums are not easy to recognise.*
In 'The Valley of Flowers' book G.pratense, collinum, wallichianum and grevilleanum (now G.lambertii) are listed. Let me try to explain. In the Notes Yeo supplied me, he draws attention to the problematical G.collinum-pratense-himalayense alliance. He considered this was particularly critical in the NW Himalaya with high quality pressed specimens needed (nowadays these can be supplemented and sometimes replaced by high quality digital images (provided the advice given below is followed). This alliance has pink to blue flowers (sometimes white) in which the stamen-tip and stigmas are never blackish-purple... I consider it will be helpful for keen photographers, willing to make an additional effort, to know which parts of Geranium to photograph. Having images of such parts of each geranium will greatly aid identification and enhance our understanding of the genus in the Himalaya - and perhaps you can help with the locating and identification of a species new-to-science! PHOTOGRAPHING GERANIUMS: *IF only the first one or two flowers have come out don't bother to collect as the form of inflorescence will not be evident.* *The rootstock is important; get enough to show whether compact or creeping, or annual. You can photograph the base of the plant which should provide this information. Clearly, one requires permission from the authorities to uproot a plant. There is still a need and indeed role for the collection of pressed specimens for herbaria in India but that is primarily the domain of staff of botanic gardens/ institutions.* * In the early stages of flowering look out for the best-developed unripe fruits available.* * If fruit is ripe try to include both dehisced and undehisced states.* * If the fruits are falling with the seeds inside them, collect some (many geraniums disperse their seed explosively but some seed is often retained).* *Include some loose petals when pressing (detach if necessary). Expose stamens to show filament shape and hairs by taking 2 or 3 sepals off a flower from which petals have recently dropped.* *Smoothing out one or two leaves and flowers as you close the press may be helpful; a few separately pressed basal and lower/middle stem leaves are often useful.* *Wilted specimens can be very misleading.* *Notes should be taken as to flower posture, colour and patterning of petals, colour of stigmas, anthers and distal parts of filaments (not necessary if your photos show these).* *And don't forget to ensure the stipules are clearly shown - something that would have been obviously in pressed specimens, so not mentioned above by Yeo.* On Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 8:24:47 PM UTC, Dinesh Valke wrote: > > Balsaminaceae, Geraniaceae and Oxalidaceae Week > balsam, geranium, wood sorrel families > Geraniaceae > * Geranium pratense * L. > > *jer-AY-nee-um* -- from the Greek *geranos*, crane; referring to the > beak-like fruit ... Dave's Botanary > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fdavesgarden.com%2Fguides%2Fbotanary%2Fsearch.php%3Fsearch_text%3DGeranium&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzdOFsunwWjQiHVpEy0bwG4V2Wsrhg> > *pray-TEN-see* or *pray-TEN-say* -- referring to a meadow ... Dave's > Botanary > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fdavesgarden.com%2Fguides%2Fbotanary%2Fsearch.php%3Fsearch_text%3Dpratense&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzc3z1au44W6jb5mvKY4WwPPXks4AQ> > > > *commonly known as*: meadow crane's bill, meadow geranium • *Lahauli*: > porlo • *Spiti*: likatur > > *Native to*: Europe, c Asia, n-w Himalaya; naturalized, cultivated > elsewhere > > *References*: Flowers of India > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flowersofindia.net%2Fcatalog%2Fslides%2FMeadow%2520Cranesbill.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzfxQuwHbiasn0n5IIdtcAzwjeTsag> > > • Flora of China > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.efloras.org%2Fflorataxon.aspx%3Fflora_id%3D2%26taxon_id%3D200012394&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzffjRXZ4LbsvqAmZmL2ok7OSl2ccg> > > • NPGS / GRIN > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ars-grin.gov%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnpgs%2Fhtml%2Ftaxon.pl%3F436&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzdmkbfMfrW730pOFS0O_5D2_CoRHA> > > • ENVIS - FRLHT > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fenvis.frlht.org%2Fplant_details.php%3Fdisp_id%3D4954%26parname%3D0&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzdQSxFRXYU9gdyydkoZSsSYtMBcEQ> > > at Valley of Flowers on 02 AUG 12 > > [image: Geranium pratense L.] > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F7813164858%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEze4RW8sgM5_OFuNkKrb9f0VX8V-pA> > > > [image: Geranium pratense L.] > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F7813209052%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzfuGFWhJ9eS15OIztmjjoKRyPjjPg> > [image: > Geranium pratense L.] > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F7813181564%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzcomzPESUzFl5-UhTcQuOpfEyY4vQ> > [image: > likatur (in Spiti)] > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F7814457552%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzfPAcpglWuZDN9IxF9y1WtqQ_bUEQ> > [image: > porlo (in Lahauli)] > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F7814462314%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzeBcNqODZNC2objYdidGpDeDOjl6A> > > > > at Auli on 31 JUL 12 > > [image: Meadow Crane's Bill] > <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F7775756424%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzciDkw9gt6PswyewYf2xv6u9heFtg> > > Regards. > Dinesh > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. 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