Name: Geraniaceae
Meaning of Name:
Geraniaceae, from Ancient Greek γέρανος (géranos, ‘crane’) + Latin -āceae (the feminine plural of -āceus, ‘resembling’, a suffix used to form the taxonomic family names of plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi)
Common Name:
The geranium family
Botanical Information:
Geraniaceae is the geranium family, which includes the true geraniums (cranesbills) of the Geranium genus, the plants also called geraniums, but which are of the Pelargonium genus, and the storksbills of the Erodium genus.
All up there are 830 species with disagreement as to whether there are five or seven genera.
Plants in this family have ornamental value and are also a source of essential oils used in cosmetics, perfumery and aromatherapy.
One defining botanical characteristic of the Geraniaceae is their unique beak-shaped fruit, from where the altenative names ‘cranesbills’ and ‘storksbills’ derive.
Image copyright © Optimate Group Pty Ltd
