Seasonal Wild Flowers

Sticky Stork's-bill

Erodium lebelii

Geraniaceae

April to September

It is very thinly scattered round the coast and slightly more

common in the Northwest

For a map see the National Biodiversity Network Gateway

It is found on bare, sandy places – usually stabilised sand

dunes by the sea.

The plants shown here were taken on Cogden Beach, West

Dorset, close to a sandy path between grassland and shingle.

Sticky Stork’s-bill is a native, annual, mainly prostrate, creeping

herb.

The flowers are smaller (up to 1cm) than Common Stork’s-bill

and the 2 larger petals do not have black spots.

There are fewer flowers (2-4) in a cluster in Sticky Stork’s-bill.

Leaves are pinnately-lobed, greyish green and rather hairy

(sticky to the touch), often with sand attached.

Stems are hairy and creeping – rooting at the nodes.

The literature and guide books are not very clear about the

differences between Sticky Stork’s-bill and the maritime strains

of Common Stork’s-bill, E. cicutarium subsp. dunense.

The plants shown on this page and the Common Stork’s-bill page

do appear to be different.

Sticky Stork's-bill, 3-4 flowers per cluster

Flower - no spots on bigger petals

Hairy sepals and flower stem

Fruits - lobed capsules

Hairy leaves

Sand grains stuck to stem and leaves (sticky)

Creeping stem