474 



On the Paeonia Moutan, or Tree Paeony, #c. 



hue than at other times. The scent of the flower is very 

 different, at different periods, and perhaps also on different 

 plants ; in some it is far from disagreeable, in others strong 

 and heavy. The distinction between the foliage of this 

 variety and the Rosea, is in the red colour of the petioles, 

 and the darker green of the folioles ; from the Papaveracea, 

 its leaves are less distinguishable, they are however under 

 similar circumstances smaller; they are also coarser, and 

 more obtuse in their terminations, and more rugose in their 

 surface. Seedlings have been raised from this variety in the 

 Royal Gardens at Kew, and in various other places, whose 

 flowers have exactly corresponded with their parent. The 

 first figure which appeared of this variety was in 1807, in the 

 Botanist's Repository, tab. 448, where it is called Paeonia suf- 

 fruticosa flore purpureo; the flower is represented as not 

 very full, and is indifferently executed. In 1808, Dr. Sims 

 published a figure of it in the Botanical Magazine, tab. 1154, 

 which is defective, in giving too much of red in the dark 

 colouring of the petals, and too little paleness to them gene- 

 rally ; the date of the introduction, in the account annexed 

 to this, is erroneous.* Another figure of it has been recently 



* I am inclined to believe that a confusion exists between the two varieties of 

 Banksii and Rosea, in the account and figure, given in the Botanical Magazine, 

 folio 1 154. The figure is more like the Rosea; and the date (1794) given of the 

 introduction, agrees nearly with the fact as regards the Rosea; yet, in the ac- 

 count in the letter-press annexed, Sir Joseph Banks is mentioned as the intro- 

 ducer, which circumstance is only referable to the Banksii; besides, the plant 

 from whence the drawing is stated to have been taken, was growing in a separate 

 building in Mr. Greville's garden at Paddington, and that was certainly & e 

 Banksii. This plant of Mr. Gbeville's, together with the whole of his collection, 

 was subsequently purchased by Mr. Thomas Jenkins, of the Portman Nursery, 

 in 1S10, at the death of that gentleman. 



