P^O'NIA LOBA'TA. 
LOBED PiEONY. 
Order. 
TRIGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
RANUNCULACE^. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration 
Introduced 
Spain. 
2| feet. 
May, June. 
Perennial. 
in 1821. 
No. 621. 
Paeon was a physician of the ancient poets, 
whom Homer records as having cured Pluto with 
this herb. We presume, says Sir J. E. Smith, its 
virtues are altogether reserved for such august oc- 
casions, they having never been made manifest on 
any other, as far as we can learn. The plant is 
called lobata from its lobed leaves. 
The ancient Greeks, as stated by Dioscorides, 
were acquainted with our Pseonia officinalis and 
Pseonia corallina. These two plants they consider- 
ed to be the masculine and feminine of the same 
species. | 
The flowers of Pseonia lobata possess a peculiar 
beauty and delicacy of tint. They assume a hand- 
some globular form, and are altogether different 
from those of any other species. All the Peeonies 
are so completely hardy, requiring no attention, 
and at the same time possessing so much splendour, 
that it may excite some surprise to observe the de- 
ficiency of them in many of the best gardens. 
As regards the culture of the Pseony it is most 
simple. They may be divided in spring or autumn ; 
but the latter time should be preferred. 
156 Don’s Syst. Bot. 1, 66. 
Class. 
POLYANDRIA. 
