Pelargonium papilionaceum

The flowers of Pelargonium papilionaceum, the butterfly pelargonium, grow on long stalks in clusters (pseudo-umbels) of five to twelve on hairy pedicels. They have the usual Pelargonium five-petalled flower structure, although it is mainly the top two petals that are noticed, as the lower three are very narrow and easily missed. It is the butterfly resemblance of the upper petal pair that gave the plant its specific name, papilionaceus being butterfly-like in Latin.

Flower colour varies between pale pink and carmine. The two large upper petals have dark purple blotches in the centre and white ones lower down, embellished by fine, dark carmine line patterns. Seven pinkish stamens protrude conspicuously from each flower. The flowers appear from the end of winter into summer.

The fruit of P. papilionaceum splits into five parts, mericarps forming one schizocarp, each mericarp with a long tail-like attachment. These attachments perform a seed-burying service through a corkscrew action once the seed arrives on the ground after dispersal by the wind.

The mature plant reaches 2 m in height and has woody lower branches. Higher up the branches are softly herbaceous and hairy (Bean and Johns, 2005; www.plantzafrica.com; www.chilternseeds.co.uk).