(P. hecandrum, Royle) which has leaves intermediate in 
character. The flowers of true P. Emodi and of its 
variety Royleanum are usually white, but may occasionally 
be pink. ‘ 
Description.—Herb, perennial; rootstock stout, horizontal, sending up 
annual leaves and erect annual flowering stems; roots many, adventitious, 
fleshy, reaching Sin. in length. Stems fleshy, 10-12 in. high, about } in. thick, 
clothed at the base with numerous cataphyllary sheaths, 2-3-foliate above with 
the internodes at time of flowering 1-2 in. long, bearing a solitary terminal 
flower. Leaves of the stem long-stalked, cordate, 3-partite or pedately 
5-partite almost to the base ; lobes 3-fid halfway down ; lobules acuminate ; at 
flowering-time the erect stalks adpressed to the petiole, and with the partially 
expanded deflexed brown-blotched blades surrounding the apex of the peduncle 
like a false involucre; nerves and veins sunk above and raised beneath ; lower 
surface of leaves white-villous; when in fruit the leaf-blades expanded, about 
10 in. across. Sepals fugacious. Petals 6, ascending, obovate, rose-coloured, 
with undulate margin, the 8 outer 12 in. long, 1-1} in. wide, the 3 inner similar 
but rather smaller. Stamens 6; filaments incurved, about } in. long ; anthers 
natrow-oblong, blunt, barely 3 in. long, dehiscing longitudinally; connective 
wide. Ovary obliquely ovoid, over } in. long, ventral suture strongly grooved ; 
style short; stigma many-lobed, with the lobes suborbicular and irregularly 
imbricate. Ovules very many, attached to a much intruded fleshy placenta. 
Fruit, an ovoid red berry, about 2 in. long. 
Tan. 8850.—Figs. 1 and 2, stamens; 3, pistil, showing the strong ventral 
groove; 4, fruit, not yet fully ripe :—all enlarged except 4, which is of natural 
size. 
