+8 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
flower. This fhews the weaknefs of eftablifliing a method on fuch part& of plants. There are enough 
that are determinate and certain ; thcfe are frequently precarious and inconftant ; the others alfo, as 
well as more certain, arc larger, and more confpicuous. 
I. Male Piony. 
P^eonia folio nigricanle. 
The root is large, and irregularly tuberous : it 
naturally confifts of a tliick, long, main body, to 
which there are frequently long tuberous pieces 
connedled. 
The leaves rifing from it ftand on thick and 
robult footftalks : they are very large, divided 
into many parts, or rather compofcd of many 
fmaller, fet upon a divided rib j and are of a 
biackifh green. 
The ftalk is robufl, round, upright, and three 
feet high. 
Its leaves ftand irregularly, and are like thofe 
from the root, but fmailer : they are divided in 
the fame manner ; and the feparate parts are 
broad, oblong, and pointed. 
The flower is very large, and Rands upon 
the top of the ftalk : it is compofed of five 
broad, obtufe petals : they are of a very pale, 
whitifh colour, with a tinge of purplifli, and 
with purple veins : they have numerous fliort 
threads in the centre, on which ftand deep yel- 
low buttons. 
The fced-velTels are large, whitifli, and lliaped 
like horns: they vary in number; fometimes 
there are only two, but oftener three or five. 
It is a native of the dark woods of Switzerland, 
and fomc other parts of Europe, and fiowers in 
May. 
C. Bauhine calls it Pceonla folio nigrica/tte fplcn- 
dido qua mas. Others, Tmnia mas. 
2, Female Piony. 
Pteonia foliis longioribus. 
■ The root is compofcd of a great number of 
longifh, thick, tuberous pieces, connetfled by 
flender tough fibres to a imall head. 
The leaves are numerous : they fland on long 
footftalks, and are divided into many parts, as 
in the male; but thefe feparate are larger and 
narrower, as is the whole leaf; and the colour 
is not the deep black hue of the other, but a 
pale, though not unpleafant green, on the upper 
fide i and they are whitifli and mealy under- 
neath. 
. The ftalk is robuft, firm, round, and upright ; 
it is two feet in height, and branched. It is ge- 
nerally redifli at the places whence the leaves pro- 
ceed, elfewhere green. 
The leaves ftand irregularly on it, and are like 
thofe from the root, conipofcd of long parts, and 
irregularly divided. 
The flowers are large, but not fo large as in 
the preceding fpecies : they are of a deep colour, 
and liave in the fame manner numerous threads, 
with yellow buttons in the centre. 
The feed-veffels are fometimes only two, fome- 
times more ; and in this, as in the other, when 
they fplit open, and the feeds are ripe, they make 
a beautiful appearance, 
it is a native of the northern parts, of Europe 
in thick forefts, and fiowers in the beginning of 
June. 
It is more common in our gardens than the 
male; though the male is efteemed to have moft 
virtue; and it is from this fpecies that our fine, 
large, double are raifed by culture. 
C. Bauhine calls it P^qnia commmunls, vel fami- 
na. Others, Pmyna vulgaris, and Paouia fee-- 
mina. 
3. Dwarf Piony. 
Pmnia pumla foliis radicalibus digitatis. 
The root is compofed of a long and large 
body, and has feveral great irregular tuberous 
pieces hanging to it. 
The leaves that rife from it ftand on long foot- 
ftalks : they are not formed of feveral fmaller 
placed upon a divided rib, but are of a palmated 
form, cut down to the ftalk into nine or more 
long and flc-nder divifions. 
The ftalk is fmall, round, weak, whitifh, and 
a foot and'a half high. 
The leaves are placed al ternately on it ; and tho' 
thofe from the root are only digitated, thefe are 
branched : they are compofed of three principal 
parts, and each of thefe of feveral narrow and 
long fegnients. 
The flower ftands on the top of the ftalk s and 
is large, of a deep red, and beautiful ; it natu- 
rally has only five petals ; but we fee it in gar- 
dens with eight or more, and often double. 
The feeds are preferved in three or more 
capfules. 
This is a native of Spain, and the warmer 
parts of Europe ; and fiov/ers in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Pmnia iennius laciniata fui- 
tus pubefcens Jlore purpurso. Others, Pa-onia fee- 
miim pumila. 
The roots of piony are celebrated, and with 
great reafon, againft difcafes of the head and 
nerves. ' Thofe of the male piony are beft. The 
common practice of thofe wlio fell herbs and 
roots in our markets, is to bring the roots of the 
female in their place ; but the difi^erence will be 
known by the defcriptions here given. The 
male piony, as the lefs beautiful, is the leaft culti- 
vated ; but in thofe places where the roots arc 
propagated for the purpofes of medicine, no other 
fhould have admittance. 
Befide being good in nervous cafes, it is ex- 
cellent in obftru£lions of the liver ; and there 
are very confiderablc cures recorded to have been 
performed by it. 
'1 he beft way of giving it is in the powder of 
the root, freih dried : twelve grains is a dofc, 
and will do great fervice in all nervous com- 
plaints, headachs, and convulfions. 
It will alone cure that difagreeable diforder, the 
night-mare. 
There is an opinion, that being hung about the 
neck of children, it will prevent the convuifivc 
difordcrs to which they are li:;ble in cutting their 
teeth ; 
