Pelargonium alchemilloides greener leaflet image in the purple zone

Pelargonium alchemilloides leaves are often recognised by two characteristics: the purple ring or zone around the leaf centre and the deep incisions forming narrow lobes ending in toothed tips and lateral margins entire, not on the plant in picture. Neither feature is always unambiguously present in this variable species, like only the ring being present in this photo and no incisions. The leaf incisions of markedly lobed leaves shown in other photos of this Album occur with and without the coloured, central ring or zone.

Both these features are also shared with other Pelargonium species, such as the rings appearing for instance on P. zonale leaves and the smooth incisions on P. gibbosum leaves. Plant identification is based on more though: The overall configuration of the specific characteristics allows for a plant to be identified in spite of one dominant features being absent. The embedded subtleties yielding an identification are integrated via pattern recognition, seeing the Gestalt, perception acting holistically. Familiarisation grows over time from repetitions, making recognition intuitive.

In this way the shepherd may know his sheep individually in a big flock, deemed a harder skill to master than the mother her children, as there are fewer children, closer contact and more repetitions per child (Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2009; iNaturalist).