Geranium wallichianum D. Don ex Sweet

Common as a forest undergrowth from 1600-3300 m. Typically, the species can easily be recognised by its large oblong to oval stipule but there are forms of this plant found in Hazara and Kashmir (Fig. 3, A-E), with a more slender habit, smaller stipules (2-10 mm), leaves, petal and seed size.

Occasionally the species may also have pale white flowers. The plant parts are astringent and used as a cure for tooth; ache.

Geranium wallichianum shares with G. koreanum distinctive broadly ovate stipules. They have very separate areas of distribution, and some other important differentiating morphological features mentioned in the key. Additionally, G. wallichianum has blackish filaments, anthers, and stigma, and broad bracteoles, not found in G. koreanum.

Perennial 40-60 cm tall, eglandular, pubescent to pilose; rhizome stout, vertical. Stem ascending, diffuse. Leaves 5-angled, palmati-partite or sect, 3-11 cm broad, pilose-pubescent; segments broadly ovate-rhombic, pinnatifid or deeply so into acute lobes; stipules 8-20 x 6-12 mm, elliptic-obtuse or oblong, pilose-pubescent, apex sometimes 2-fid or irregularly toothed; petiole 3-12 cm long, retrorsely pubescent-hairy. Peduncles up to 13 cm long, 2-flowered, pubescent-retrorsely hairy. Flowers 3- 4 cm broad. Pedicels 4-6.5 cm long, retrorsely hairy, ± deflexed in fruit. Bracts 10-15 mm long, broad lanceolate, acuminate, apex 2-fid. Sepals 8-10 mm long, elliptic-oblong, 3-nerved, pubescent-pilose. Petals 1.5-2 cm long, slightly retuse, mauve, claw dense ciliate. Filaments and styles reddish, dilated half of the filament obovate, often ciliate and pubescent. Beak 2.5-3 cm long, pubescent-puberulous within on dehiscence (rarely patent hairy). Mericarps patent hairy. Seed 5 mm long, oblong, minutely reticulate.

Perennials. Rootstock ± vertical, 5.8-8.8 mm in diam., not tuberculate, with many fibrous roots. Stem 24-50 cm tall, trailing or ascending, not rooting at nodes, with 0.3-1.7 mm patent to retrorse nonglandular trichomes and sometimes scattered 1.4-2 mm patent glandular trichomes. Stipules broadly ovate, connate. Leaves opposite; petiole with 0.4-1.5 mm patent to retrorse nonglandular trichomes and sometimes scattered 1.5-2 mm patent glandular trichomes; leaf blade 3.8-7.2 cm, palmately cleft, ratio of main sinus/middle segment length = 0.75-0.86, pilose with appressed nonglandular trichomes; segments 3 or 5, rhombic, 0.8-1.4 cm wide at base, 9-17-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.14-0.23. Cymules solitary, 2-flowered; peduncle 3.3-15.3 cm. Pedicel 3.1-8.4 cm, with 0.2-1.5 mm patent to retrorse nonglandular trichomes and sometimes scattered 1.5-2.1 mm patent glandular trichomes; bracteoles broadly lanceolate. Sepals 6.4-10.1 mm, mucro 2.3-4.6 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = 0.24-0.58, outside with 0.3-1.2 mm antrorse ± appressed nonglandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals deep pink, purplish, or blue, (1.2-)1.4-2.2 cm, erect to patent, inside basally with trichomes, margin basally ciliate, apex emarginate with a 0.4-1.4 mm notch. Staminal filaments blackish at least at tip, lanceolate, base slightly dilated, abaxially pilose and proximal half ciliate, trichomes 0.3-0.6 mm; anthers black, 2.2-3 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, abaxially glabrous, apex with a tuft of trichomes. Stigma blackish. Fruit 3-3.9 cm, erect when immature; mericarps smooth, with a basal callus, with 0.6-1.6 mm ± patent nonglandular trichomes; rostrum 2-2.6 cm, with a 2.9-4.6 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 5-7.6 mm. Seeds 3.6-3.9 mm. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 26, 28.

Afghanistan, Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan).

Distribution: Afghanistan and N.W. Himalaya.

S Xizang [Afghanistan, N India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan].

2100-4200 m

Fl. Per.: July-September.

Broad-leaved forests; 2500-3400 m.

Geranium wallichianum is a species of hardy flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the genus Geranium, family Geraniaceae. It is native to the Himalayas. It grows to 60 cm (24 in) tall and broad, with hairy toothed leaves and masses of bright blue flowers in summer. It is suitable for cultivation in temperate climates, in the front of the border.

The specific epithet wallichianum honours the Danish plant hunter Dr Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854).

Various cultivars have been selected, including Rozanne='Gerwat', which has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is larger and more floriferous than the species.