Subsection Acaulia

Erodium section Cicutaria, subsection Acaulia

Key to subsect Acaulia

1 Mericarps without an infrafoveolar furrow, or with only a narrow fold ……………………………………………………………………………. 5

1 Mericarps with a furrow about half the foveole ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

2. Foveoles glandular; petals spotted …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………… 4

2. Foveoles eglandular; petals one-coloured …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

3. Leaflets dentate to pinnatifid; bracts joined and hairy; rostrum 35-40 mm; mericarps 5-6 mm; awn with 7-8 turns ……………… Erodium acaule

3. Leaflets pinnatisect; bracts free and glabrous; rostrum 30-35 mm; mericarps 7-8 mm; awn with 5-6 turns ………..…….. Erodium masguindali

4. Rostrum 30-40 mm; plant ± stemless, or with short stems; leaflets pinnatisect; petals narrow obovate, 2 superior spotted with brown red …………………………………………. Erodium sebaceum

4. Rostrum 45-60 mm; stems 0-20 cm; leaflets dentate to pinnatisect; petals broadly obovate, all spotted, with larger marks on 2 superior ……………………………………………… Erodium moureti

5. Foveoles glandular; plants on calcareous rock …………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….. 9

5. Foveoles eglandular; plants on siliceous rock ……………………………………………………………………………………….…………………….……………… 6

6. Rostrum greater than 30 mm; mericarps 8-12 mm; petals pink, the 2 superior strongly blotched ………………………… 7

6. Rostrum 25-30 mm; petals white-pink, the 2 superior spotted with black on the veins; mericarps 5-6 mm, with small foveoles; plant very glandular and strongly scented of musk …………………………………………………… Erodium rupicola

7. Rostrum 40-60 mm; bracts large, joined in 2 sheets; leaflets with shallow incisions ……………….………………………………… 8

7. Rostrum 30-40 mm; bracts small (3-4 mm), joined only at the base; leaflets cut into narrow strips …………………………. Erodium carvifolium

8. Rostrum 40-50 mm; mericarps 8-10 mm with foveoles externally extended by a small glabrous fold; bract green, 5-6 mm ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………. Erodium castellanum

8. Rostrum 40-50 mm; mericarps 10-12 mm withfoveole bordered internally with a small fold; bracts very large (10-15 mm), green ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Erodium manescavii

9. Leaflets small (1-1.5 cm) with obtuse divisions; petals white or slightly pinkish, the upper two marked with reticulate blotches awn with 4-5 turns ……………………………………………………… 10

9. Leaflets large with acute divisions; petals pink or white, spotted; awn with 7-8 turns ………………………………..Erodium tordylioides

10. Leaflets entire …………………………………….………………….………………..…………………………..……………………………………Erodium astragaloides

10. Leaflets more or less divided …………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11

11. Sepals 13-15 mm; mericarps 9-10 mm; rostrum 40-45 mm; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, pinnatifid …………………………………………. Erodium macrocalyx

11. Without this character combination ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………….. 12

12. Pedicels more than 9; leaflets ovate, pinnatisect, with segments linear-lanceolate; peduncle up to 25 cm …………….. Erodium aguilellae

12 Pedicels less than 9; leaflets ovate to ovate-lanceolate, pinnatipartite to dentate, with segments ovate to lanceolate ……………….. 13

13 Mericarps 5-7 mm; rostrum 25-30 mm; leaflets ovate, pinnatipartite to pinnatifid …………………………..Erodium paui

13 Mericarps 7-9 mm; leaflets pinnatifid to dentate ………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………… 14

14 Mericarps 7-8 mm; rostrum 25-30 mm; peduncle length less than 14 cm ……………………………… Erodium daucoides

14 Mericarps 8-9 mm; rostrum 30-40 mm; peduncle length greater the 14 cm ……………………… Erodium cazorlanum