27. P.arietina var. orientalis (Thiebaut) F. C. Stern comb. nova P.arietina typica folius glaberrimus differt; in Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc. 68,127 (1943). Syn. P.corallina var. orientalis J. Thiebaut, Fl. Libano-Syr. 1 {Mem. Inst. d'Egypte, 31), 37 (1936).

Description. Differs from P.arietina in that the leaves, petioles and stem are glabrous.

Distribution. cyprus : Chionistra, above Prodromos, Kennedy 446, 446b, 4460 (K) ; Prodromes, Ussher 61 (K), Druce (K), Syngrassides 7570 (K) ; Livadia, above Prodromos, Kotschy 701 (K). crete : Prov. Lassithi, Mt. Aloida, Gandoger 2335 (K).

There are specimens of paeonies in the herbarium at Kew and in other herbaria from the islands of Cyprus and Crete which resemble P.arietina in the number and shape of the leaflets and in the hairiness of the carpels, but the leaves, petioles and stem are glabrous.

J. Thiebaut discovered a paeony in Syria and named it P.corallina var. orientalis. I have been able to examine one of his dried specimens, which he was kind enough to send to Mr. W. T. Steam of the Lindley Library. This specimen agrees with the specimens from the islands of Cyprus and Crete, and appears to me to be a variety of P.arietina with glabrous leaves, petioles and stem.

P.mascula is found in Cyprus and is a near neighbour of this paeony and only differs from it in the number and shape of the leaflets. P.mascula has usually nine leaflets which are broadly elliptic, bifurcating sometimes to twelve segments, while this variety has an average of twelve to fifteen segments which are oblong to narrowly elliptic.P.arietina var. orientalis is not, as far as is known, in cultivation. [end page 83]