Erodium L’Hér. ex Aiton

9 species in Aust. (3 endemic, 6 naturalized); all states and territories

Annual or biennial herbs. Leaves deeply dissected, lobed or compound; cauline leaves opposite (Fig. 35). Flowers regular, 1–10 in axillary umbel-like cymes. Sepals hairy. Petals blue to purple or pink to white. Stamens 5, alternating with 5 staminodes. Mericarp hairy; awns hairy on the inner surface, becoming spirally twisted as they separate from the beak. Seed retained in the mericarp.