PiEONIA 



BUTTERCUP OBDEB 



P^ONIA 167 



from stagnant moisture at the dormant 

 roots. 



P. humilis. — A well-known garden 

 plant 18-24 in. high, native of the S. of 

 France. The leaves are biternate with 

 red-tinted stalks, and are cut into numer- 

 ous oblong-acute confluent segments, deep 

 green and smooth above, pale green and 

 downy beneath. The solitary bright red 

 flowers appear in May on short stalks, 

 having roundish petals 2 in. long. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. hybrida, which is not a hybrid but 

 a native of the Caucasus, may be regarded 

 as a variety of P. tenwlfolia. It differs, 

 however, in not having creeping stems, 

 and the leaf segments are somewhat 

 broader. P. laciniata is a synonym. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. microcarpa. — A species from the 

 Spanish mountains, 12-18 in. high, and 

 closely related to P. humiiUs. The red- 

 stalked leaves are very downy beneath, 

 and cut into numerous oblong-acute seg- 

 ments. The flowers are bright crimson, 

 appearing in May. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. mollis. — This is supposed to be a 

 native of the Crimea, and grows about 

 12 in. high. The rigid hairy stems bear 

 dark bluish-green much-divided leaves, 

 densely hairy beneath. The soUtary 

 purple-red flowers appear in May, and 

 are smaller than those of P. officinalis. 

 Fruits usually 3, erect, slightly incurved, 

 and densely hairy. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. officinalis. — This native of South 

 Europe is the most generally met with 

 Pseony in gardens, especially the double- 

 flowered varieties, which are very beau- 

 tiful. It is 2-3 ft. high, with smooth deep 

 green leaves, paler and sometimes downy 

 beneath, cut into numerous lance-shaped 

 segments, 1-2 in. broad. The solitary 

 flowers are usually red or crimson, but 

 there are various shades to white, all 

 appearing in May and June. 



Among the finest varieties of P. offici- 

 nalis mention may be made of the follow- 

 ing : anemonmflora plena, in which the 

 central petals are united into an elevated 

 tuft, the outer petals being similar to those 

 of the single form ; purpurea plena (also 

 known as fulgens and splendens) has 

 globular double flowers of a reddish-pur- 

 ple, the central petals being more or less 

 narrowly strap-shaped, and raised some- 



what above the outer and much larger 

 petals ; incarnata plena has beautiful 

 crimson flowers which become white as 

 they grow older ; alha plena is a fine 

 double white variety, as is also maxima 

 rosea plena, and striata el6gans,-with deep 

 rose-striped flowers. P. lohata is a dwarf 

 form with narrower and more numerous 

 leaf-segments. It is a native of Portugal, 

 and may be readily recognised by its 

 brilliant salmon-coloured flowers. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. paradoxa, — A native of Southern 

 France and Himgary, 12-18 in. high, 

 folrming dense tufts of leaves, much out 

 and lobed, with red margins. The flowers 

 appear in May and June, one on a stem, 

 and are of a purple-red colour. 



This is closely related to the next 

 species, but has smaller ovate and more 

 glaucous leaves, with more divided, 

 crowded, and overlapping leaflets. Culti- 

 vation, however, has produced a good 

 many modifications of the type, and there 

 now exist forms between the single type 

 and those with very double flowers. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. peregrina. — A well-known plant 

 from S. Europe. It grows 1^-2 ft. high, 

 having dull green leaves, smooth above, 

 paler and hairy beneath, and cut into 

 oblong acute segments, 3-4 in. long, and 

 1-1^ in. broad. The bright crimson flowers 

 having 5-10 petals appear on short stalks 

 in May and June. 



Cultv/re Ac. as above. 



P. pubens may be regarded as a 

 variety, and is distinguished by its hairy 

 stems and leaves, the latter with red 

 margins, the leaflets tapering to a point, 

 and flowers rosy - red. The variety 

 byzamtina has biternate leaves of a pale 

 grass-green and steras covered with white 

 hairs. Compacta grows only about 1 ft. 

 high, and has very broad, overlapping 

 leaflets with very blunt divisions, and 

 purple-red flowers. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. Russi. — A native of Corsica, Sicily, 

 Sardinia and Algeria. It is 12-18 in. 

 high, with spindle-shaped roots. The 

 lower leaves are biternate, thin in 

 texture, and cut into ovate or oblong 

 segments. The bright crimson flowers 

 appear in May and June. 



Culture Ac. as above. 



P. tenuifolia. — A very distinct species 

 2-18 in. high, with creeping stems, 



