? 
48 
The) BR Til SoH» HE SReBA Lt 
flower. This thews the weaknefs of eftablifhing a method on fuch parts of plants. There are enough 
that are determinate and certain ; thefe are frequently precarious and inconftant: the others alfo, as 
well as more certain, are larger, and more confpicuous. 
1. Male Piony. 
C 
Peonia folio nigricante. 
:The root is'Jarge, and irregularly tuberous: it 
naturally confifts of a thick, long, main body, to 
which there are frequently long tuberous pieces 
connected. 
- The leaves rifing from it ftand on thick and 
robuft footitalks: they are very large, divided 
into many parts, or rather compofed of many 
fmaller, fet upon a divided rib; and are of a 
blackifh green. 
The ftalk is robuft, round, upright, and three 
feet high. ; 
» Tes leaves ftand irregularly, and are like thofe 
from the root, but fmaller: they are divided in 
the fame manner; and the feparate parts are 
broad, oblong, and pointed. 
The: flower is very large, and ftands upon 
the top of the ftalk : it is compofed of five 
broad, obtufe petals: they are of a very pale, 
whitith colour, with a tinge of: purplifh, and 
with purple veins:: they have numerous Short 
threads in the centre, on which ftand .deep. yel- 
low buttons. 
, The feed-veffels are large, whitifh, and fhaped) 
like horns :, they vary in’)number; fometimes 
there are only two, but oftener three or five. 
It is a/native of the dark woods of Switzerland, 
and fome other parts of Europe, and flowers in 
C. Baubine calls it Pwonia folio nigricante fplen- 
dido gine mas. Others, Pwonia.mas. 
2, Female Piony. 
Peonia foliis longioribus.. 
“The root is compofed of a great number of 
longifh, thick, tuberous pieces, “conneéted by 
lender tough fibres to a {mall head. : 
- Phe leaves are numerois: they ftand on long 
footftalks, andvare divided -into many parts, as’ 
ia the male; but thefe feparate are larger and 
narrower, as is the whole leaf; -and the colour 
is not the deep black hue of the other, but a 
pale, though not unpleafant green, on the upper 
fide} and they are whitith and mealy ‘under- 
neath. " 
The ftatk is robuft, frm, round, and upright ; 
it is two feet in height, and branched. It is ge- 
nerally redifh at the places whence the leaves pro- 
ceed, elfewhere green. ‘ 
The leaves ftand irregularly onvit, and ‘are like 
thofe from the root, compofed of long parts, and 
irregularly divided. : 
The flowers are large, but not fo large as in 
the preceding fpecies: they are of a deep colour, 
and -have in the fame manner humerous threads, 
with ‘yellow buttons in the centre, 
The feed-veffels are fometimes only two, fome- 
times! more ;.and in’ this, as in the other, when 
they, {plit open, and the feeds are ripe, they make 
a beautifel appearance. ; 
Abas a native of the northern parts of Europe 
in thick forefts, and flowers in the beginning of 
June. é 
It is more common in our gardens than the 
male; though the male is efteemed to have moft 
virtue; and it is from this fpecies that our fine, 
large, double ponies are raifed by culture. 
C, Bauhine calls it Paonia commmunis, vel femi- 
na. Others, Pmonia. vulgaris, and Pwonia fo- 
mina. 
3. Dwarf Piony. 
Peonia pumila foliis radicalibus digitatis, 
The root is compofed of a long and large 
body, and has: feveral. great irregular tuberous 
pieces hanging to it, we 
The leaves that rife from it ftand on Jong foot-' 
ftalks: they are not formed of feveral fmaller, 
placed upon a divided rib, but.are of a palmated 
form, cut, down’ to. the ftalk into nine or more 
long and flender divifions. 
The ftalk is fmall, round, weak, whitith, and 
a foot and’a half high. ; 4 
The leaves are placed alternately.on it ; and tho’. 
thofe from the root are only digitated, thefe. are 
| branched : they;jare compofed of three principal 
parts, and each of thefe of feveral narrow.and. 
long fegments., 
. The flower ftands on the top of the ftalk; and: 
is large, ofa. deep red, and beautiful : it. natu- 
rally has only five petals; but we {ée it in gar- 
dens with eight or more, and often double. 
The feeds. are ;preferved..in, three or more 
capfules. ; 
This is a native of Spain, and the warmer 
| parts of Europe’ and flowers'in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Peouia tenuius laciniata Jub- 
tus pubefcens flore purpureo, Others, Paonia fa- 
mina pumila. Fi hee 
The roots of piony are celebrated, and: with 
great reafon, again{t difeafes of the head an@ 
nerves. Thofe of the male piony are beft. The 
common practice of thofe who fell herbs and 
' roots in our markets, is to bring the roots of the 
female in their place; but the difference will be 
known: by the  defcriptions here given. The! 
male piony, as the lefs beautiful, is the leaft culti- 
| vated; but in thofe places where the Foots are 
propagated for the purpofes of medicine, no other 
fhould have admittance. 
Befide being good in nervous cafes, it is ex- 
cellent in obftruétions of the liver ; and there 
are very confiderable cures recorded to have been 
performed by it. 
The belt way of giving it is in the powder of 
the root, frefh dried : twelve grains is a dofe, 
and will do great fervice in all nervous. com- 
plaints, headachs, and convulfions, 
_itwill alone cure that difagreeable diforder, the, 
night-mare. 
- There is an opinion, that being hung about the 
neck of children, it will prevent the convulfive 
. diforders to which they are liable in cutting their 
teeth ; 
