94 



the formation of the aril. At first the youngest ovules are on the 

 upper part of the placenta, and often (but not always) right down 

 at its base also. Hence the evolution of the ovules commences 

 toward the base of the ovary, or at least below its middle. The 

 first is formed of many follicles, surrounded by the persistent calyx, 

 and dehiscing along the inner angle to free the large seeds, each 

 of which contains an embryo surrounded by fleshy albumen, and 

 has its funicle dilated around the hilum to form a fleshy aril of 

 no great size. (It is thought by Bentham and Hooker that arils are 

 entirely wanting in the Ranunculaceae.) 



Instead of a pentamerous quincuncial corolla, the peonies have 

 sometimes two corollas, each formed of three petals, of which the 

 outer ones alternate with the three inner ones. This is constant 

 in P. JVittinaniana, a species in which the corolla is yellow instead 

 of being white or red like that of the other peonies, and which may 

 be made the type not of a distinct genus, but of a section which is 

 to the true peonies what Hepatica is to Anemone, or Ficaria to 

 Ranunculus. The organization is in other respects similar, and in 

 this species as in all others, the number of petals may become 

 much greater still, owing to duplication, which afifects the inner 

 petals in preference to the outer ones, or to the metamorphosis of 

 the outer stamens, as happens in double flowers. 



The peonies, with one exception, are herbaceous perennials, with 

 a thick stock giving off aerial branches, bearing dissected or pluri- 

 pinnate leaves, and ending in large flowers. Under the flowers are 

 a number of bracts, arranged in one continuous spiral with the 

 leaves and sepals, and intermediate between them in form. All' 

 these leaves which surround the perianth have an angular diverg- 

 ence of two-fifths, and it is really impossible to decide where the 

 sepals end and the bracts begin ; just as we have no sharp demarca- 

 tion between these latter and the true leaves. Thus in P. lobata, 

 Perf., there are five concave, quite entire, orbicular sepals. To 

 these the carpels are superposed when of the same number. Alore 

 externally are two lanceolate leaves, while between these and the 

 five rounded sepals is a leaf which is intermediate alike in position 

 and in form, for it is actually oval. In the flowers of P. tenuifolia, 

 L., the bracts, like the leaves, are more or less laciniate, and so is 

 sepal No. i ; while sepals No. 4 and No. 5 are entire and rounded. 



P. moutan, Sims, a Chinese species, forms of which have been 

 multiplied by cultivation, and whiich has been made the type of a 

 distinct section and even a distinct genus by several, diflfers from 



