Musky Heron's-bill - introduced (*Erodium moschatum)

Other names: Musky Stork's-bill

Family: Geraniaceae (Geranium family).

Native to the Mediterranean region.

Occurrence: Widespread and very common in pastures and roadsides.

Erodiums differ from other members of the geranium family in that the flowers are radially symmetrical, and the flowers are in groups of more than two. All have the seeds contained in beaks.

Identification:

• the plants are prostrate or semi-prostrate.
• the leaves are divided into leaflets, which grow from the cental leaf-stalk
• the leaflets are shallowly toothed
• the flowers are purplish to blue
• the fruit have long beaks.

Photos 1: Roadside weed, Guildford. 2,3: Street weed, Castlemaine.