II. MAGNOLIACEiE. 149 



21. PiEONIA. 



The physician Pceon, according to mythologr, first used this plant in medicine, and cured Pluto with it. 



Sepals 5, unequal, leafy, persistent ; petals 5 ; stamens 00 (mostly 

 changed to petals by cultivation) ; ovaries 2 — 5; style 0; stigmas 

 double, persistent ; follicles many-seeded. — % Rt. fasciculate. Lvs, 

 biiernate. Fls. large, terminal, solitary. 



1. P. OFFICINALIS. Common Pcrony. — St. erect, herbaceous; lower trs. bipin- 

 nately diviiied ; Ifts. ovate-lanceolaie, variously incised ; fr. downy, nearly 

 straight. — The splendid paeony has long been cultivated in every part of Europe 

 and in this country. This species is said to be native of Switzerland. It is a 

 hardy perennial, requiring very little pains lor its cultivation. Among its 

 varieties the double red is the most common. The vrhile is truly beautiful. 

 The Jlcsh-cohrcd and the pink are also favorites. May, Jn. 



2. P. ALBiFLORA. White-flowcrcd PcEony.—Lfts. elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 

 entire, smooth ; follicles recurved, smooth. — Native of Tartary. Whole plant 

 dark, shining-green and smooth. Flowers smaller than the last, but truly ele- 

 gant and fragrant. Petals white. Calyx brown, with 3 green, sessile bracts at 

 base. Nine or ten varieties with flowers single and double, white, rose- 

 colored, &c., are now mentioned in the catalogues of American gardeners. 



3. P. ANOMALA. Jagged-leaved Siberian Paony. — Lft?. with many lanceo- 

 late segments, smooth; follicles depressed, smooth; cal. bracteolate. — From 

 Siberia. Distinguished by the long, narrow segments of the leaflets. Flowers 

 concave, rose-colored. Follicles usually 5. 



4. P. MouTAN. Chinese Tree Paony. — 5'/. shrubby, '4.; Ifts. oblong-ovate, 

 glaucous and somewhat hairy beneath, terminal one 3-lobed ; ova. 5, distinct, 

 surrounded by the very large disk.— From China. The woody stem branches 

 into a bush 3 — 4f high. Leaves large, on long stalks. Flowers very large, 

 always double in cultivation, fragrant and truly splendid. This plant is re- 

 markable for producing the largest form of disk in the vegetable kingdom. 



5. P. PAPAVERACEA. Chinese Poppij-flowercd Paony. — St. shrubby, %\ Ifts. 

 oblong-ovate, glaucous and slightly hairy beneath, terminal one 3-lobed ; ova. 

 about 5, closely united into a globose head. — From China. Resembles the' 

 last in foliage, but is remarkably distinguished from all the other species by 

 its united carpels. Flowers whi'te, with a purple centre, often single in culti- 

 vation. Other species and varieties are cultivated, rarely in this covmtry, 

 amounting to about 150 in all. 



22. NIGELLA. 



Lat. \iger, black ; the color of the seeds, which are used in cookery. 



Calyx of 5 sepals, colored ; corolla of 5 3-cleft petals ; styles 5 ; 

 capsules 5, follicular, convex. — ® European herbs. Lvs. in many line- 

 ar and subulate segments. 



1. N. DAMASCEVA. Fcmicl Flmi^cr. — Ms. in a leafy involucre ; anth. dbtase ; 

 carpels 5, smooth, 2-celled, united as far as the ends into an ovoid-globose cap- 

 sule. — Native of S. Europe. A hardy annual of the gardens, to which have 

 been applied the gentle names of " ragged lady," " devil in a bush," <fcc. 

 Leaves twice and thrice pinnatifid, as finely cut as those of the Fennel. Flowers 

 terminal, solitary, encompassed and over-topped by a circle of leaves divided 

 like the rest. They are often double, white or pale-blue. Jn. — Sept. 



2. N. SATiVA. Nutmeg Flmcer. — St. hairy, erect ; fis. naked ; anth. obtuse ; 

 capsules muricate. — From Egypt. Rather smaller than the last. Jn. — Sept. 



OaDER II. MAGNOLIACEJE— Magnoliads. 



Trees or sTrruis. 



Lvs. alternate, coriaceous, simple, entire or lo1)ed, never serrate. 



Stip. meml)raiiaccous, either convolvite in the leaf-bud, or placed face to face. 



Fls. solilari', large and showy, mostly odorous and perfect. 



