Summer Flowers of the High Alps

Seventeen species of Geranium or Crane’s-bill, so named from the shape of the seed, are met with in Switzerland, and several of them are rather difficult to distinguish from one another.

The Wood Geranium is found in England, but is not very common. In Switzerland it is exceedingly abundant on the borders of woods and in rich mountain meadows and pastures between 3000 and 7000 feet. Though a beautiful plant it is by no means welcome to the herdsman, for it is not good for fodder. The finely divided leaves are well seen in the photograph. The purple-blue flowers have more of a tinge of red in them when they first open. The Wood Geranium will be recognised by its erect stem, hairy above, leaves which are arranged opposite to one another, purple-violet flowers with petals that are not notched in the middle, and sepals drawn out to a long point. The Brook Crane’s-bill (Geranium rivulare) has white flowers varied with red, and the Meadow Crane’s-bill (Geranium pratense) has larger flowers which tend to hang down, and the Blood Geranium (Geranium sanguinum) has unbranched flower stalks and notched petals.