Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Prostrate or ascending, to 20 inches long, much branched, reddish, covered with flattened, whitish hairs.
- Leaves
- Alternate, stalked, pinnately compound; segments finely dissected, fern-like or feather-like in appearance, 3 to 7 inches long, hairy.
- Inflorescence
- Inflorescences umbels of 2-8 flowers, on long stalks.
- Flower
- 5-parted, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide; stalks 1/2 to 1 inch long; sepals 5, surfaces white hairy, veins linear, green, tips with 1-2 bristles; petals 5, slightly longer than sepals, purplish-pink to lavender.
- Fruit
- Capsules, separating with age into 5 hairy, 1-seeded carpels that prolong into beaks .5 to 1.5 inch long; seeds oval, orange-brown.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Waste places, roadsides, lawns, and fields, most abundant in sandy or rocky soils.
- Distribution
- Throughout Kansas.
Practical Information
- Forage Value
- Filaree has been grown for forage in the southwest U.S.
Additional Notes
Comments
Filaree is one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the spring. It is naturalized from Europe, where it is a common weed. The carpels resemble the open beaks of birds, thus the common names stork's-bill and crane's-bill. The carpels can be a problem when entangled in sheep wool.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Geraniaceae - Geranium Family
- Life Span
- Annual
- Height
- To 6 inches
- Last Updated
- 2007-10-08
Color Groups
Blue, Purple, Lavender & Violet Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: April, May, June