Herbs with alternate or opposite leaves, and axillary solitary or clustered perfect regular flowers. Stipules commonly present. Sepals 5 (rarely fewer), mostly persistent. Petals of the same number, hypogynous. Stamens as many as the sepals, or 2-3 times as many, distinct; anthers 2-celled, versatile. Ovary 1, usually 5-lobed and 5-celled; ovules 1 or 2 in each cavity. Fruit capsular. Embryo straight or curved; cotyledons flat or plicate.

About 12 genera and 470 species, natives of temperate regions, most abundant in South Africa.

Carpel-bodies turgid; carpel-tails (styles) glabrous within, merely recoiling at maturity; anthers usually 10 (or 5 in Geranium pusillum).

Carpel-bodies deciduous from the styles at maturity, each with 2 fibrous appendages near the

top; leaves divided.

1.

Robertiella.

Carpel-bodies permanently attached to the styles, unappendaged; leaves lobed, cleft or parted.

2.

Geranium.

Carpel-bodies spindle-shaped; carpel-tails (styles) pubescent within, spirally coiled at maturity;

anthers 5.

3.

Erodium.