A NEW CLASSIFICATION OF THE GENUS PJEONIA. 



431 



be regarded as species. But I believe that a greater number must 

 be admitted even from a purely botanical point of view. The 

 leaf differences are considerable, and, though leaves do vary, it 

 is always within denned limits and not in confusion. 



In dealing with the entire genus I make three sub-genera. 

 First of all Moutan, characterised by shrubby habit and a develop- 

 ment of the disc that envelops the carpels. The carpels are 

 enclosed, as it were, in a bottle, with the stigmas protruding at 

 the mouth. The early condition is shown by fig. 22, and a later 

 stage, with the bottle bursting by the swelling of the carpels, by 

 fig. 23. Of this there is only the well-known species P. Moutan, 

 cultivated in China and Japan, and known only in cultivation. 

 The next sub-genus, Oncepia, is herbaceous in habit, and is 

 characterised by fleshy or leathery petals, shorter, or at least no 

 longer, than the sepals. An idea of its characters is given by 

 fig. 24. It has one species, P. Brownei, native from nearly sea- 

 level in California to nearly the snow-line in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains. There is at least one good variety, I think, for our 

 purpose, established by Nuttall with specific rank as P. calif or - 

 nica. It has since been reduced to Brownei, but in such cases 

 of reduction, when the two plants are known to the botanist who 

 establishes the second species, we may often suspect something 

 quite distinct for garden purposes. This differs conspicuously 

 in the more acute ultimate segments of the leaf, as shown by 

 fig. 25. P. Brownei is the only Paaony native of North America, 

 and may be said to stand as far apart from other Pasonies in 

 relationship as it does geographically. All other Paeonies are 

 natives of Europe or Asia. 



The remaining sub-genus I call Pceon, after De Candolle. It 

 is always herbaceous, with large spreading petals, not fleshy like 

 those of P. Brownei. 



I come now to the groups of this sub-genus Pceon, of which 

 I make five, indicated by letters A to E, and to the essential 

 part of the work I have done. They are sufficiently explained 

 in the following classification, and by the accompanying figures. 

 It will be noticed that under group E, I endeavour to break up the 

 species P. peregrina, as understood by Mr. Baker. He includes, 

 or rather does not distinguish, P. pubens, which appears to me 

 distinct, and he combines those plants that have the terminal 

 lobes of the leaf trifid whenever fully developed with those that 



