Alpine pelargonium

[FrazerHenderson]

I found this delightful pelargonium at 3000m in the Haraz Mountains (Yemen) and would be grateful if any of the Scottish Rockers could provide an indentification. There were plenty of specimens but this was the only plant flowering.

Thanks extended in advance

[mark smyth]

The leaf looks like alchemilloides http://www.marksgardenplants.com/pelargonium-alchemilloides.html but it would be far from home. Could it be an escapee? The only Pelargoniums in the northern hemisphere come from Turkey and Iran

[FrazerHenderson]

Mark

Thanks for the suggestion of P. alchemilloides I had tentatively thought P. usambarense (which may/may not be a synonym) but wasn't sure hence the request to SRGC experts.

I do think native pelargoniums extend northwards in Africa to Ethiopia and Eritrea (and across the water to Yemen) and thus are above the equator but as always on matters of botany stand to be corrected.

Regards

[mark smyth]

My book says 80% of Pelargoniums are found in sw Africa. 20, ?species, in east Africa. 12 species out of Africa, 2 in New Zealand and 2 in the Middle East. The two in the Middle East are quercetorum and endlicherianum. quercetorum is from Iraq and  south east Turkey. The book says endlicherianum is from Turkey

[mark smyth]

usambarense a ?syn for multibracteatum is from Tanzania to Ethiopia. The book shows a typical 5 lobed leaf but says the leaf is highly variable due to it's large distribution. The flowers should be white tinged pink at the base and held in a cluster of 5-10 flowers. I just google it and found this http://www.pelargoner.nu/bilder/P.multibracteatum0711.JPG

[FrazerHenderson]

Thanks Mark for the helpful pointers

[mark smyth]

Did you collect any seed?