Pelargonium luridum

Pelargonium luridum, the starburst pelargonium, is yet another member of its genus that grows from a tuberous, somewhat woody rootstock. The broadly or narrowly lobed leaves are variable in shape and size, forming a basal rosette.

The inflorescence growing in a lax pseudo-umbel at around 60 cm tall, presents cream, yellow, white or pink flowers from spring to autumn. The specific name luridum, Latin for smoky or drab yellow, suggests one of the flower colours. The inflorescence may measure 13 cm across and contain from 5 to 60 large flowers. A flower may have seven fertile stamens.

The distribution of this species is wide, including most of the eastern part of South Africa from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo and as far as Angola, the DRC and Tanzania.

Damp areas at medium altitude on open grassland and bushveld in variable soil types is the habitat home of this plant. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982; Onderstall, 1984; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).