尼泊尔老鹳草 ni bo er lao guan cao

Geranium fangii R. Knuth; G. jinchuanense Z. M. Tan; G. lavergneanum H. Léveillé; G. lavergneanum var. cinerascens H. Léveillé; G. nepalense var. oliganthum (C. C. Huang) C. C. Huang & L. R. Xu; G. oliganthum C. C. Huang.

Perennials. Rootstock ± vertical, 2-5.8 mm in diam., not tuberculate, without thickened roots. Stem 27-72 cm tall, trailing or ascending, sometimes rooting at nodes, with 0.2-1.4 mm patent or retrorse appressed nonglandular trichomes. Stipules lanceolate to subulate, distinct. Leaves opposite; petiole with 0.2-1.5 mm patent to retrorse nonglandular trichomes; leaf blade 2.3-4.1 cm, palmately cleft, ratio of main sinus/middle segment length = 0.78-0.89, pilose with appressed nonglandular trichomes; segments 5, broadly rhombic, 3.7-6.5 mm wide at base, 6-12-lobed in distal half, ratio of second sinus/middle segment length = 0.15-0.27. Cymules solitary, (1 or)2-flowered; peduncle 1.2-8.3 cm. Pedicel 1.1-2.5 cm, with 0.2-1 mm patent to retrorse nonglandular trichomes; bracteoles linear-lanceolate. Sepals 4.1-5.8 mm, mucro 0.4-1 mm, ratio of mucro/sepal length = 0.09-0.21, outside 0.4-1.1 mm with ± patent nonglandular trichomes, inside glabrous. Petals white, pale pink, or rarely deep pink, 5.1-5.9(-6.3) mm, erect to patent, both surfaces and margin with a few trichomes, apex rounded or slightly notched. Staminal filaments whitish, lanceolate with an abruptly narrowed apex, abaxially pilose and proximal half ciliate, trichomes 0.1-0.4 mm; anthers violet, 0.3-0.9 mm. Nectaries 5, hemispheric, glabrous. Stigma reddish. Fruit 1.4-1.8 cm, erect when immature; mericarps smooth with 1 transversal vein at apex, with a basal callus, with 0.3-1.3 mm ± patent nonglandular trichomes; rostrum 0.9-1.2 cm, with a 1-2 mm narrowed apex; stigmatic remains 0.8-1.4 mm. Seeds 1.9-2.3 mm. Fl. Apr-Sep, fr. May-Oct. 2n = 26, 28.

Forest margins, scrub, meadows, weedy areas; (100-)1000-3600 m. Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, E Xizang, Yunnan [Afghanistan, Bhutan, NE and S India, Indonesia (N Sumatra), Kashmir, Laos, N Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, N Vietnam].

This species is sometimes difficult to distinguish from Geranium sibiricum. Normally, at least some cymules in each plant of G. nepalense are 2-flowered, but 1-flowered cymules are not infrequent. In extreme forms, 2-flowered cymules can be difficult to locate. Information from herbarium specimens is not enough to understand this variability, and further field studies could be necessary. Geranium nepalense has leaves with broader segments than in G. sibiricum (with the widest point nearest to the apex), shorter narrowed apex of the rostrum, and longer sepal mucro. Additionally, G. nepalense is sometimes rooting at the nodes, which has not been observed in G. sibiricum. Distribution of G. nepalense seems to be more southern than that of G. sibiricum. Questionable provincial records need to be checked, as some records from N China may actually be G. sibiricum and some from E China may actually be G. thunbergii.

The whole plant is used for Chinese medicine.