Geranium richardsonii

Wild White Geranium

Mature Flower Pistil

Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
24-June-2008

The sepals, petals, and stamens have been removed from this flower.  The pistil is composed of five united carpels which are adnate to a central column (columella) that is hidden from view in this photograph.  The style terminates in five stigmas which separate and coil backwards as the flower matures.

Note the hairs tipped with purple glands.

Richardsonii: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
plants perennial, with rootstocks or caudices; NOT [plants annual or biennial]
petals much longer than sepals; NOT [petals scarcely longer than sepals]
petals 1-2 cm long; NOT [petals 2-8 mm long]
petals white or purple-tinged; NOT [petals purple to rose to pink, rarely white]
petals pilose on the inner surface one-third to one-half their length; NOT [petals pilose inside not one-fourth their length]

 

Geranium: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 
leaves palmately divided; NOT [leaves pinnately divided]
leaves palmately veined; NOT [leaves pinnately veined]
anthers 10; NOT [anthers 5]
stylar parts glabrous within; NOT [stylar parts bearded within]
tails of capsules merely curved; NOT [tails of capsules twisted at maturity]
capsule round; NOT [capsule spindle-shaped]

 

Geraniaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.
herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]
plants NOT with colored milky juice
plants with more than one normal leaf
some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]
leaves with stipules; NOT [leaves without stipules, or having glands]
leaves palmately divided; NOT [leaves of three leaflets]
flowers regular in shape; NOT [flowers irregular in shape]
flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others
calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]
stamens 5 or 10; NOT [stamens usually numerous]
stamens usually separate or partly so, not in a column; NOT [stamens numerous, united into a column]
ovary of 5 united carpels; NOT [ovary of one or more carpels, either separate or enclosed by a fleshy receptacle]
fruit with a long beak; NOT [fruit not beaked]