The Caucasian Representatives of the Genus Paeonia L.

L.M. Kemularia-Nathadse, Trudy Tiflis. Botan. Sada 1961

[content]

Chapter IV

Systematic analysis of Caucasian species of the genus Paeonia L.

8. Paeonia lagodechiana Kem.-Nath. h. I. species nova

Perennial, 50-100 cm high, plant with a branchy rhizome having spindle-like root thickenings; the stem is ribbed, densely leaved; leaves are double ternate, glaucescent at both sides or only from beneath, smooth with slightly protruding veins, bare; leaf-lobes are smooth-edged, oblong-elliptical, at both sides or at the apex they are shortly narrowed. The blossoms are pink, broad patent, with obovate slightly concave petals; anthers are orange, filaments are purple; ovary is yellow, tomentose downy; stigmas are flesh colored, almost symmetrical. The fruit is tomentose-downy.

Habitat. The intermediary montane belt, in forest.

Type. The lagodekhsky reservation. Ninigora, in forest 10. V. 1953 A. Kazarova and A. Dolukhanov.

Studied samples. Georgia, Kachetia. the Lagodekhsky gorge 5.V. 1935 Kemularia-Nathadse P. Tsagarely.

Planta perennis, plerungue 50-100 cm. alta. Rhizoma crassum ramosus, radix fusiformis. Caulis cylindraceus vix angulatus glaber ramosus dense foliosus. Folia biternato secta longe petiolata superne viride subtus vel utrinque glauca, foliolis ellipticis vel oblongo-elliptics apice acutis basin versus breviter attennatis glabris nervis non prominentibus. Flores late aperti rosel petala vix concava obovata basi cuneata. Stamina flava filamentis stigmaque carneis. Fructus tomentosus, IV-V.

Affinitas. Ab P. caucasica N. Schipcz. floribus roseis late apertis petalis foliolisque forma bene differt.

Habitatio. In regione silvatica montium et margines silvarum.

Typus. Georgia. Rauces Lagodechi. loc. Ninigora 10. V. 1953 A. Kazarova et A. Doluchanov.

Specimina vida: Georgia. Fauces Lagodechi in silva 10.V. 1935 P. Zagareli; 5. V. 1936 Kemularia-Natadze.

Area geogr. Caucasus. Species endemica.

Remarks. It is a very effective, ornamental plant. With its tender glaucescent leaves, it resembles P. Mlokosewitschii Lomak., nevertheless from which it noticeably differs with its pink larger broad-patent blossoms, stigma's, anthers and filaments colour and leaf-lobes form, also. As to the latter character, it is obovate, blunt at the apex and long-tapered at the base for P. Mlokosewitschii Lomak. From P. caucasica N. Schipcz. it differs with its pink broad-patent larger blossoms, with petals and leaf-lobes form. Till present it is known to have been found in the Lagodekhsky gorge only.