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| Sticky Geranium; Cardiff Pass, 7/20/15, David Kenison |
Also known as Crane's Bill, Sticky Purple Geranium, Sticky Wild Geranium. From the Geranium (Geraniaceae) family.
The sticky geranium is so named because of the sticky hairs that cover the plant. The Wasatch variety apparently is less sticky than those in some other areas, but can still be noted. This delightful pink or purple blossom, normally about an inch in diameter, is found prolifically throughout the summer in all areas of the Wasatch mountains.
The pronounced stripes on the petals are thought to lead pollinators to the center where the nectar is, and are even more pronounced under ultraviolet light which is a spectrum visible to insects. The leaves are large and showy and turn red in the autumn. The plant is heavily foraged by wild animals.
These photos were taken by the author at a variety of locations around Utah. Click to view enlargements.
Compare the Sticky Geranium (right) with its close cousin, the Richardson's Geranium (click to enlarge):
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