472 On the Paeonia Moutan, or Tree Paeony, $c. 



intended for the same plant. Though rare, the P. Moutan 

 Papaveracea is in the gardens of all curious collectors, but 

 no plants have yet got to a size which can compete with 

 the parent. The foliage of this variety is readily dis- 

 tinguished from that of the Rosea, by its petioles being 

 tinged with red, and the folioles being a darker green ; the 

 leaves of the Banksii are similar, in having a tinge of red on 

 the petioles, and in the darker hue of the folioles, but under 

 similar circumstances, those of the Papaveracea are larger and 

 broader. Sir Abraham Hume's plant has produced seeds, 

 one of which vegetated some years since, but the plant sub- 

 sequently perished. Mr. Lee, of Hammersmith, has also 

 raised from its seed, plants which blossomed this year for the 

 first time ; the flowers however did not differ from those of 

 the parent. M. Decandolle* has certainly erred in referring 

 the P. officinalis, var. alba, of Loureiro to this plant. 



2. Pceonia Moutan Banksii. This was introduced to the 

 Royal Gardens at Kew, in 1789,f and was the first of the 

 species that was brought to Europe ; it blossomed at Kew 

 for the first time, a few years after, I believe in the year 

 1793. Mr. Anderson has annexed to the variety the name 

 of Sir Joseph Banks, to whose instructions it is understood 

 that our Gardens are indebted for its original importation. 

 Many plants of the same have subsequently been brought 

 from China, and from these, as well as from the original 

 plant, a very general stock of it now exists. It is probably 

 the most abundant kind in China also. The flowers are 

 usually quite double, and spreading, with an expansion of 



* Decandolle, Systems, &c. volume i, page 3S7. 



f Erroneously stated to be 1794, in the Botanical Register, Mo 379. 



