A NEW CLASSIFICATION OP THE GENUS P^EONIA. 



439 



with leaflets narrower than those of humilis, very pubescent 

 beneath. Mr. Baker describes the plant as having stems 1 to 

 H foot long. Lower leaves, with about thirty oblong acute con- 

 fluent segments, \ to £ inch broad, very pubescent beneath. 

 Outer sepals not so compound as in humilis. Petals bright 

 crimson. Follicles two, very spreading, smaller than in humilis. 

 Mountains of Spain. 



** Carpels hairy. 



t Terminal free {stalked) divisions of the leaf usually three- 

 lobed, with the middle lobe trifid. (See fig. 30.) 



17. P. decora, Anders. — Stems 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves hori- 

 zontal, diminishing to the top ; leaflets oblong-obtuse, longitudi- 

 nally concave. Flower rather smaller than is usual in the genus, 

 supported on a long peduncle (Anders.). Petals about eight, small 

 and narrow. Carpels very large, spreading from the base when 

 mature. Anatolia and Servia. 



Anderson distinguishes two varieties — Pallasii, with leaves 

 narrowly oblong, and elatior, with leaves broadly oblong. The 

 plant grown as decora elatior may be recognised even in a weak 

 state by having few processes of the disc, with a connection 

 between the carpels at the base of similar surface and appear- 

 ance to that of the carpels themselves. This connection between 

 the carpels is found also in tritemata. 



18. P. peregrina, Mill, (as understood, I believe, by Ander- 

 son and Miller). — Stems about 2 feet high. Leaflets ovate- 

 lanceolate, usually flat. 



var. byzantina, Anders. — A smaller plant than arietina. 

 Stem 2 feet high, covered with white hairs. Leaves 

 biternate, remarkable for pale grass-green colour ; middle 

 leaflet three-lobed, deeply - incised or pinnatifid ; leaflets 

 more obtuse at the base than those of arietina, rarely 

 decurrent. Calyx glabrous. Seeds oblong. I have not 

 seen a plant that answers this description or to match the 

 specimen in Kew Herbarium. 



var. compacta, Anders.— About 1 foot high. Leaflets broad 

 and imbricating, ultimate divisions very obtuse, deep 

 green above. Calyx pilose at the base. Corolla purple- 

 red. Seeds round. 



