48 THE LADIBS' FLOWER-GARDEN 
elongated, and the wings are very small. The species is a native of the Carpathian Mountains in Hungary, 
whence it was introduced in 1815. It is quite hardy, and grows and flowers freely in any common garden soil; 
it is propagated by seeds, or separation of the tubers of the root. 
A. OCHROLEUCUM, Sim's Bot. Mag. t. 2570 ; and our Jig. 3, in Plate 11. 
This species differs from the preceding one in the flowers being larger, and the tip of the helmet recurved. 
It is a native of Caucasus, and it was introduced in 1794. The flowers are pale yellow. 
A. LYCOCTONUM, Lin. 
This is the true "Wolfsbane, and the powder of the root is said to be still used for destroying rats, flies, &c. 
It was introduced before 1596. 
All the kinds of Aconitum, of which there are many more, are quite hardy in British gardens, and they 
are valuable for shrubberies, as they are uninjured by the drip of trees. 
GENUS XVII. 
PiEONIA, Lin. THE P^ONY. 
Lin. Sijsl. POLYANDRIA DI-PENTAGYNIA. 
Generic Character. — Calyx of five unequal permanent sepals, i encircling the ovaries. Carpels from two to five, with thick bilamellate 
Petals from five to ten, roundish. Stamens numerous. Disc fleshy, | stigmas. Seeds numerous, somewhat globose and shining. 
Description, &c. — ThepEeonles common in our gardens are of two kinds, viz. those which are allied to the 
tree peeony (PcBonia Moutan) and which are all more or less shrubby, and the common herbaceous paeonies. 
The herbaceouspseonies are well-known ornaments of our gardens, where they are great favourites, from their 
showy flowers, their great hardiness, and the easiness of their culture. The roots of these plants are composed 
of bundles of carrot-like tubers, which may be separated from each other when it is wished to propagate any 
particular species or variety ; or the tubers of the common pseonies may be grafted with shoots of any choice 
kinds. The word Paeonia is derived from the name of the Greek physician Paeon, who is said to have been the 
first to use it in medicine. 
1.— P^ONIA EDULIS, Sal. THE EATABLE-ROOTED P^ONY. 
Varieties. — These are very numerous, but the most beautiful are 
perhaps P. e. tartarica, figured in our plate 12 under the name of P. 
albijiora^ and P. e. Pottsii, figured in the same plate under the name 
o( P. edulis. Some of the varieties are single-flowered, and either white 
or crimson ; and others are very double. One variety, P. e. fragrans, 
is said to be rose-scented. 
Synonvmes. — P. albiflora. 
Engravinos.— Bot. Reg. t. 42, t. 485, and t. 630 ; Bot. Mag. t. 
1756, and t. 1768 ; Swt. Brit. Fl. Gard. 2nd Series, t. 351 j and our 
figures 1 and 2 in Plate 12. 
Specific Character. — Slem three-flowered ; leaves deeply pinuati- 
fid ; tho segments ovate-lanceolate, almost entire. Ovary glabrous, 
flowers erect. 
Description, &c. — The beautiful varieties of this species were formerly all called P. albiflora, from the first 
that was discovered having been a pure white ; as however several have since been discovered of a deep crimson, 
that name has been very properly abandoned, and that of P. edulis substituted in its place. P. edulis, which 
signifies the eatable Pseony, alludes to the roots having been eaten in soup in Siberia. The flowers of all 
