Family |
Paeoniaceae
Paeonia mascula
(L.) Mill.
Paeonia mascula (L.) Mill.
First published in Gard. Dict., ed. 8.: n.° 1 (1768).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, p. 4, Pl. III, 1; 1970)
• Synonyms: Paeonia officinalis var. mascula L.; P. corallina Retz., the latter placed by Kew within P. mascula subsp. mascula.
• Life-form & habit: Perennial with a thick rootstock producing tuberous roots. Erect, non-persistent stems, 25–100 cm tall.
• Leaves: Twice divided into threes, with oval, entire, somewhat pointed leaflets. Not leathery. Young leaves finely hairy, becoming nearly glabrous except for scattered hairs along the veins.
• Inflorescence & flowers: Five unequal, leaf-like sepals and five or more deep purplish-red petals. Petal size very variable, reaching 8 × 3 cm; flowers may reach 15 cm across. Stamens very numerous, with oval to elliptic-oval anthers. Carpels strongly felted, especially when young.
• Fruit: Usually three or more follicles, also strongly felted, particularly at an early stage.
• Phenology: March–April.
• Habitat & elevation: Woodland.
• Lebanese distribution: Maasser, Feitroun, Mayrouba, Rayfoun, Aqoura, Sannine, Mazraat Kfar Debiane, Qamouaa and Akkar.
• Syrian distribution: Jaoubat Bourghal, Slenfe and surroundings, Nebi Younes Pass, Kessab and Ain Haramiye.
• Recorded locations: Bekish.
• Native range: Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., France, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Sicilia, Spain and Türkiye.
• Introduced into: Austria, Germany and Great Britain.