Alpine Crane's Bill

This plant is a low lying plant with short stems (hence the name brevicaule), and has red, pink, or white flowers. It is a perennial vascular plant.Easily recognised from other indigenous and naturalised Geranium species in NZ by its small, compact, growth habit, stout taproot, persistent basal leaves, very short flowering stems (mostly shorter than basal leaves) and its smooth seeds.

This species is known from the main islands of New Zealand, south of Auckland, as well as Stewart Island. It can be found in southeast Australia and Tasmania.

The species flowers and fruits year-round, but the flowers are wind dispersed and not through animal consumption. Geranium brevicaule may not be able to recolonize disturbed areas easily after disturbance by wombats.