Common Stork’s-bill- Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér.

Stace (2010) pg 352/ Rose & O’Reilly(2006) pg 322/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=745.0

This plant is common around the Life boat house on the grassy areas of the fixed grey dunes and lichen heaths. Due to the “bill-like” seed capsules I looked within the Geraniaceae family and as the leaves are pinnate and only 5 out of 10 stamens have anthers, I looked at the Erodiums or Stork’s bill species (Rose & O’Reilly 2006).

Common Stork’s-bill, Erodium cicutarium is a suberect to procumbent annual up to 60cm. Flowers are pinkish-purple (rarely white) and the upper 2 petals sometimes have black basal spots (Stace 2010):

Sepals and pedicels with glandular hairs (Stace 2010):

Leaves pinnate and cut almost to the midrib which is why I discounted E.maritimum (Rose & O’Reilly 2006):

Lastly, the “storks bill” seed capsule on the right of the picture (Rose & O’Reilly 2006):