168 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



P^ONIA 



and a native of Transylvania to the 

 Crimea, Caucasus, and Armenia. The 

 leaves are cut into very numerous linear, 

 one-nerved segments, and at once cha- 

 racterise the plant. The solitary flowers 

 with roundish sepals, and dark crimson 

 elliptic wedge-shaped petals, appear in 

 May and June, and are enhanced in beauty 

 by the golden stamens with purple fila- 

 ments surrounding the deeppm'ple velvety 

 carpels in the centre. 



The handsome double varieties of 

 P. tenuifolia are those most usually grown 

 in gardens. 



Culture dc. as above. 



P. triternata. — A native of the 

 Caucasus, Asia Minor, and the Crimea, 

 18-24 in. high. The roots are oblong or 

 cylindrical, and the smooth leaves, pale 

 green above, glaucous beneath, are cut 

 into oblong leaflets, bluntly rounded at 

 the apex and with a small cusp. The 

 rose-red flowers are borne in May and 

 June, one on a stem, and have 6-8 

 obovate petals 2-2^ in. long. 



Culture dc. as above. 



P. villosa (P. sessiliflora). — A species 

 closely related to P. mollis, but having 

 longer petioles, and white flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



P. Wittmanniana. — A distinct but 

 somewhat rare species from the Caucasus 

 and N. Persia. It is about 2 ft. high, with 

 bitornate leaves, usually having not more 

 than 3 ovate deep green segments to each 

 division, downy beneath. The flowers 

 are borne on short stalks in April and 

 May, and have roundish sepals and petals, 

 the latter about 2 in. long, and of a pale 

 yellow colour. 



Culture do. as above. 



HYBRID P.<EONIES.— The Psony 

 owes its importance as a beautiful gar- 

 den plant chiefly to the fact that hun- 

 dreds of first class varieties have been 

 raised in this country and on the Con- 

 tinent by intercrossing a few natural 

 species, chiefly P. alhiflora and P. offici- 

 ■ nalis, although a few have sprung from 

 P. peregrina ; two or three from P. tenui- 

 folia ; what are known as the Chinese 

 Paeonies from P. Reevsi and P. Pottsi ; 

 and the Anemone-flowered kinds which 

 bear traces of P. officinalis and P. 

 paradoxa. 



The following is a list of the best 

 Hybrid Pseonies grown, but as new ones 



appear every year, those in search of 

 novelties may consult trade catalogues. 



HABDY DOUBLE-FLOWEEED 



CHINESE PEONIES 

 Many of the following are very 

 fragrant. 



WHITE AND CEEAMY TELLOW PEONIES 



Alba plenissima, pure white. 



Albion, blush-white, centre primrose- 

 yellow and white. 



Alice Julvecourt, blush, passing off 

 white, centre tinged primrose. 



Candddissima, beautiful primrose- 

 yeUow, with pure white guard petals, 

 anemone-flowered. 



Comte d'Osmonte, white, tinged blush, 

 centre bright yellow and beautifully 

 fringed. 



Countess of Clanca/rty, dehoate blush 

 and primrose-yellow, dwarf, erect grower. 



Couronne d'Or, large creamy white, 

 laced crimson, showing golden anthers. 



Delacour Verhille, pure white, with 

 fine broad petals, strong sturdy habit, 

 flowers of perfect form. 



Duchesse de Theba, delicate flesh- 

 white, large broad petals. 



Duke of Wellington, yellow, with 

 large pure white guard petals, free 

 bloomer. 



Elegans superbissima, pure white, 

 dwarf grower. 



Festiva maxima, snow-white, large 

 spreading fuUy double flower. 



Qracchus, primrose-yellow passing off 

 white, very large. 



Selene Leslie, primrose-yeUow with 

 large white guard petals. 



Lady Dartmouth, beautiful pure 

 white, very large. 



Lady Oodiva, pure white, centre 

 tinted flesh, full-double, of highest 

 quality. 



La TuUpe, large snow-white, laced 

 crimson. 



La Vestale, white, with blush guard 

 petals occasionally laced crimson, fine 

 substance, strong sturdy growth. 



Madame Dtipoiit, pure white, laced 

 crimson, full-double. 



Mario Leinoine, pure white, with 

 creamy centre, large globular-shaped 

 flower, full-double. 



Nitta, fine broad-petalled pure white 

 flowers, a new Japanese variety. 



EaiJiO, a new variety from Japan 



