Erodium crinitum
2. Erodium crinitum Carol. (Austr.) – A rare and ephemeral alien. Formerly a characteristic wool alien in the valley of river Vesdre around Verviers. Apparently first recorded in 1889 in Goé but soon afterwards very regularly seen and still recorded in 1970 in Nessonvaux. Apparently often seen in abundance and in 1947 even thought to be naturalised in Dolhain. Also repeatedly seen on the Dutch side of river Maas (Bruggeman 1964), obviously originating from the woollen mills further upstream near Verviers. Only once recorded outside the Vesdre valley area: a single specimen was collected at a demolition site in Gent in 2001 (probably associated with the former local textile industry and hence preferably classified as a wool alien too).
Erodium crinitum was most often confused with E. cygnorum (both Australian natives with deeply trilobed to ternate leaves). See Sell & Murrell (2009) and Stace (2010) for their distinction. Furthermore confused with Erodium chium and E. stephanianum (both with pits without a groove) (see also Bruggeman 1964).
Selected literature:
Bruggeman C.J.M. (1964) Overzicht der in Nederland gevonden inheemse en adventieve Erodium-soorten. Gorteria 2(5): 49-55.
Laine U. (1995) Pöytälaatikkooni unohtuneita tulokaskasvihavaintoja Varsinais-Suomesta (V). Lutukka 11: 87-90.
Sell P. & Murrell G. (2009) Flora of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 3 Mimosaceae – Lentibulariaceae. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: XXVIII + 595 p.
Stace C. (2010) New flora of the British Isles, 3th ed.: XXXII + 1232 p. Cambridge University Press.