F.C. Stern A Study of the Genus Paeonia

8. P.californica Nutt. ex Torrey & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1, 41 (1838) ; Greene in Gard. and For. 3, 356 (1890), et Fl. Francis. 307 (1892) ; Huth in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 14, 273 (1891) ; Stebbins in Madroño, 4, 252-260, t. 37 (1938); F. C. Stern in Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc. 68, 124 (1943).Syn. P.Brownii Dougl. ex Hook. sec. Brewer & Wats. Bot. Calif. 1,13 (1876), pro parte; Baker in Gard. Chron., N. Ser. 21, 779 (1884), pro parte ; A. Gray, SynoP.Fl. N. Amer. Ed. Robinson, 1, 56 (1895), pro parte ; Parsons, Wild Fl. Calif. 341, c. tab. (1897) ; Davidson, Calif. PI. fig. 31 (1898) ; Davidson & Moxley, Fl. S. Calif. 143 (1923) ; Pickwell et al.. Spring Wild Flow. Western Nat. Study, 2, fig. 31 (1931) ; Munz. Man. S. Calif. Bot. 170. fig. 176 0935) » Thurston, Wild Fl. S. Calif. 326, fig. 511 (1936) ; non Dougl. ex Hook.P.Brownii Dougl. ex Hook. var. californica (Nutt. ex Torrey & Gray) Lynch in Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc. 12, 433, fig. 25 (1890).

Description. Stem 35-60 cm. high, glabrous ; lower leaves long petiolate, ternate, the divisions petiolulate and mostly trifurcate, so that the leaf is generally, in effect, biternate, with the leaflets sessile or slightly confluent at the base; segments narrowly cuneiform or narrow-oblong, 2-3 lobed, lobes acute to obtuse and sometimes lobulate ; leaflets papery, dark green above, pale green beneath, glabrous. Flower subglobose, about 3 cm. across, with two foliaceous bracts inserted close against the sepals. Sepals green, subcoriaceous, strongly concave; outer hemispherical, acuminate, 1-5 cm. long, 1-2 cm. wide ; remainder suborbicular, i-5-r9 cm. long, r8-2 cm. wide, the innermost thinner, flushed with red at the base. Petals purplish, thinly coriaceous, strongly concave, very broadly oval to suborbicular, i -7-2 cm. long and r2-i'7 cm. wide. Stamens about i cm. long, filaments yellowish 6-8 mm. long, anthers yellow. Carpels 3, glabrous, i-i -4 cm. long. Disc surrounding the base of the carpels very thick and fleshy, about 3-4 mm. high, divided into a number of obtuse-rounded lobes. Follicles about 3-5 cm. long.

Distribution. central and southern california : Marterey Co. to San Diego Co. California : Santa Barbara, Nuttall (K) ; San Francisco, Coulter ij (K) ; Glaremont, C. F. Baker 4120 (K) ; Sepalveda Canyon, Santa Monica Mts., Los Angeles Co., Abrahams yis (K); San Bernardino, Vasey is (K); vicinity of San Diego, 550-580 meters, Spencer 7J4(K). [end page 53]