Ait. Hort. Kew. ed. 1, 2 (1789) 427.
Section Ciconium

Habit
Climbing, herbaceous perennial trailing into and through other bushes, attaining a height of up to 2 m and more. Shoots smooth, slender, 0.3-1 cm.


Leaves
Shield-like (peltate), succulent, lamina bluntly 5-lobed, sometimes zoned, margins entire, 2-7 cm in diameter, +/- glabrous to hairy. Petioles lightly shorter than laminae. Stipules broadly ovate.


Inflorescence
2-9-flowered pseudo-umbel, peduncle to 5 cm. Pedicel 4 mm.


Sepals
5, posterior broader. Hypanthium 30-40 mm.

Petals
Mauve, pinkish mauve, to pale pink or whitish. Posterior two 25 x 10 mm, spathulate, with darker veined markings, anterior three shorter and unmarked.

Stamens
7 fertile, 2 longer, 3 shorter, 2 short.

Distribution


Habitat

Habitat 10 km E Jeffreys Bay in E Cape Province, almost impenetrable thicket with many climbing, scrambling and rambling plants, muscling their way towards sunlight.


P. luridum hiding close to the ground in the same location - 10 km E Jeffreys Bay is a very different habitat to the very dry habitat discussed on the P. luridum website in Lebombo Mountains.
 
Illustration

Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1787, Tab. 20.
 
Synonims
clypeatum (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Steud.
lateripes auct. mult. non L'Herit.
scutatum Sweet

Notes
Recent literature: M. C. Olivier, J. J. A. van der Walt: "The taxonomy of the Pelargonium peltatum (L.) L'Herit. complex", J. South Afr. Bot. 50 (1984) 1-14.
Suggested transfer to Ciconium in M. Gibby, F. Albers, B. Prinsloo: "Karyological studies in Pelargonium, sectt. Ciconium, Dibrachya, and Jenkinsonia (Geraniaceae)", Pl. Syst. Evol. 170 (1990) 151-159.