EXTENDING THE PERIOD OF BLOOM 



lutea. This species, usually classed among the 

 tree peonies on account of its woody stems, has 

 thick, deeply lobed dark-green leaves and cup- 

 shaped single flowers, measuring about three and 

 one-half inches across, with waxy fleshy petals 

 of a wonderful golden yellow, strong and pure. 

 In some of the blooms the lower half of the fila- 

 ments is red, giving the effect of a red ring in 

 the centre of the flower. Curiously the leaves are 

 of the same outline and habit of growth as those 

 of the tree peony, while the buds are of the same 

 shape as those of the herbaceous peony. In addi- 

 tion to its beauty this little peony is gifted with 

 fragrance, somewhat like that of a lily. 



Thirty years ago Abbe Delavay — a mission- 

 ary — discovered P. lutea in the Yunnan Moun- 

 tains in southern China, and sent twenty-six seeds 

 marked " Seed of an Alpine plant " to the Jardin 

 des Plantes in Paris. Only three of the twenty- 

 six seeds lived, but from them are descended all 

 the P. lutea now in cultivation. From France 

 this peony was introduced into England and 

 thence to this country. 



Two recent hybrids of P. lutea and P. moutan 

 offer much of interest and beauty, though not 



8 113 



