| Class: | angiosperms |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Paeoniaceae |
| Genus: | Paeonia |
| Scientific name: | Paeonia lactiflora Pall. |
| Name acc. to: | Gubanov 1996 |
| Herbar: | list records  |
| Description: | Lobes of biternate leaves entire, at margins scabrous with small cartilaginous notches. Flowers white. |
| Link to Flora of China: | http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=2&name_str=Paeonia+lactiflora |
| open map in a new window |  |
| Habitat: | Meadow slopes, steppe and forb meadows, thinned shrubberies at slopes of hills, river valleys and foothills (Grubov 2001). |
| Habit (i)general appearance of a plant | |
| Growth form: (i)Herb, shrub, tree or climber. | herb (i)Herbaceous, erect plant, up to 2m high, mostly with a leafy shoot; if perennial, shoots die to the ground each season, shoots are not woody
example: Artemisia pectinata   inherited by genus Paeonia: herb
perennial (i)Living for several to many years, as opposed to annual and biennial inherited by genus Paeonia: perennial
shrub, subshrub or semishrub (i)Shrub, multi-stemmed, mostly (0.2) 0.5 - 5 m high, shoots woody up to the tip
example: Caragana leucophloea  inherited by genus Paeonia: shrub, subshrub or semishrub
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| Size of plant: (i)Attention: use flowering or fruiting specimens to assess plant height (many biennial plants possess only a basal rosette in the first year). | from 600 mm to 1000 mm inherited by genus Paeonia:
from 1000 mm to 3000 mm inherited by genus Paeonia:
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| Parasite status: (i)Is the plant a half- or full parasite? | no parasite/saprophyte (i)Plant fully autonomous, leaves with chlorophyll
example: Most plants, Ranunculus inherited by family Paeoniaceae: no parasite/saprophyte
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| Water or terrestrial plant: (i)Where do the plants grow? | terrestrial (i)Plant grows on dry land
example: Orostachys spinosa inherited by genus Paeonia: terrestrial
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| Leaf (i)expanded, usually photosynthetic organ of a plant (including phylloclades) | |
| Leaf development: (i)Structure and development of leaves. | with green leaves (i)Plant with green leaves inherited by genus Paeonia: with green leaves
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| Leaf arrangement: (i)Arrangement of leaves at the stem. | alternate (i)One leaf per node; distiche: arranged in two vertical rows, equitant
example: Phragmites   inherited by genus Paeonia: alternate
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| Simple or divided leaves: (i)Are the leaves simple or completely divided in several parts? Blade of the leaf entire or (more or less) deeply dissected. Attention: There are various appearances of the leaf margin (from entire to toothed and lobed). Here, we ignore this and ask only for dissections that separate the leaf for more than one third of its length or width, whatever is smaller. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell apart compound leaves from a shoot system with simple leaves: look for stipulae and/or axillary buds at the ground of the leaves: if only some possess these structures, the others are most likely leaflets of a compound leaf. | compound (i)Composed of several similar parts inherited by genus Paeonia: compound
complex divided (i)Divided into leaflets of more than second order
example: Artemisia gemelinii, Pulsatilla bungeana inherited by genus Paeonia: complex divided
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| Length of leaves: (i)How long is the leaf, be carefull in compound leaves, measure the complete leaf. | more than 50 mm inherited by genus Paeonia:
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| Petiole: (i)Leaf divided into stalk (petiole) and blade. | with (i)Leaves with petiole (stalk)  inherited by genus Paeonia: with
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| Stipule: (i)Leaflets at the base of the petiole, these are smaller and of different shape. | none (i)Without stipules
example: Euphorbia, Ericaceae s.l. inherited by genus Paeonia: none
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| Leaf colour upper side: (i)Shades of green on the leaf, upper side. | green (i)Clear green
example: Tribulus terrestris inherited by genus Paeonia: green
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| Leaf colour lower side: (i)Shades of green on the leaf, lower side. | green (i)Clear green, in most species
example: Angelica decurrens inherited by genus Paeonia: green
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| Leaf veination: (i)Arrangement of the main veins of a leaf. | pinnate (i)One main vein, several side veins, sometimes inconspicuous
example: Cicerbita    inherited by family Paeoniaceae: pinnate
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| Flower (i)reproductive portion of the plant, consisting of sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils | |
| Flower appearance and pollination: (i)General appearance of the flower. | attractive, animal-pollinated (i)attractive and coloured flowers, mostly large, attracting surely animals
example: Trollius, Rosa, Chamaerhodos inherited by genus Paeonia: attractive, animal-pollinated
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| Flower colour: (i)Attention: assess colour of the most colourful parts of the flower, but not of the stamens; be aware of single plants with a mutation (mostly white) on flower colour. | white (i)Most plants of the population white
example: Pleurospermum, Maianthemum
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| Perianth arrangement: (i)Attention: in some plants, flowers may be dimorphic in different ways (dioecious or gynodioecious). If flowers vary, record the characters of the most showy flowers. | double, different (i)Two types of perianth leaves, differently coloured (sepals: outer periant leaves, usually greenish, and petals: inner perianth leaves, usually coloured)
example: Parnassia   inherited by genus Paeonia: double, different
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| Diameter of flower: (i)Diameter of flower or flower head. | more than 40 mm (i)
example: Incarvillea, Cypripedium inherited by genus Paeonia:
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| Flower symmetry: (i)Symmetry of the perianth leaves. Attention: to assess this character, look on sepals, petals and stamens, but neglect carpels and ovary. | radiary, regular (actinomorphic) (i)More than two axis of symmetry
example: Saxifraga: 5; Iris: 3  inherited by genus Paeonia: radiary, regular (actinomorphic)
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| Flower form: (i)common forms of flowers ? Veronica | simple (flat) - Do not confuse with inflorescences as in some Asteraceae (i)Petals spread out, flower appearing flat
example: Mollugo, Trientalis, Pulsatilla, Saxifraga  inherited by genus Paeonia: simple (flat) - Do not confuse with inflorescences as in some Asteraceae
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| Sepal number: (i)Number of sepal leaves (outer perianth leaves, calyx leaves, mostly greenish). Attention, this character applies only for flowers separated in sepals and petals, thus excluding most monocots. Be aware of the bracts (involucral leaves) of Asteraceae flowerheads, do not qualify these as sepals! Be also aware in Rosaceae is often an epicalyx developed, in this case count all parts. | 5 (i)
example: Polemonium inherited by genus Paeonia: 5
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| Sepal fusion: (i)To which degree are the sepal leaves connected? Attention, this character applies only for flowers separated in sepals and petals, thus excluding most monocots. Be aware of the bracts (involucral leaves) of Asteraceae flowerheads, do not qualify these as sepals! | free (i)All leaves separate from each other
example: Geranium inherited by genus Paeonia: free
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| Petal / Tepal number: (i)Number of petal leaves (inner perianth leaves, usually coloured). | 5 (i)
example: Potentilla inherited by genus Paeonia: 5
>6 (i)
example: Halerpestes, Trientalis inherited by genus Paeonia: >6
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| Petal / Tepal fusion: (i)To which degree are the petal leaves connected? Petals sympetalous. | free (i)all petal leaves separate from each other
example: Anthriscus inherited by genus Paeonia: free
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| Spur: (i)A hollow, slender, sac-like appendage of the perianth leaves, storing nectar. | no spur (i)Flower without appendage
example: Peganum inherited by family Paeoniaceae: no spur
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| Stamen number: (i)Attention: We ask for the reproductive organs of the flower dispersing pollen. Count only fully fertile stamens, not staminodia (e.g. Parnassia). | > 10 (i)
example: Nymphaea, Callianthemum, Rosa inherited by genus Paeonia: > 10
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| Stamen fusion: (i)To which degree are the stamens fused? Attention: Whereas the pollen sacs itself are often free., their stalks (filaments) may be fused. Here, we count them as fused if they are together over at least one thirth of their length. | free (i)Stamens with separate bases
example: Malus inherited by genus Paeonia: free
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| Pistil number: (i)Number of pistils (female floral organs: style, if developed; stigma and carpels/ovary together build the pistil). | 3-8 (i)Variable number but few stigmas
example: Sedum, Paeonia inherited by genus Paeonia: 3-8
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| Carpel number: (i)Number of carpels (carpel: forming a simple pistil or part of a compound pistil, modified leaf). | 1 inherited by genus Paeonia: 1
2 inherited by genus Paeonia: 2
3 inherited by genus Paeonia: 3
4 inherited by genus Paeonia: 4
5 inherited by genus Paeonia: 5
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| Carpel fusion: (i)To which degree are the carpels (modified leaf forming simple pistil or part of a compound pistil) fused. | free (i)Carpels entirely free
example: Geum, Aconitum inherited by genus Paeonia: free
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| Stigma number per style: (i)Number of stigmas per style. | 1 (i)One stigma, sessile or with a developed style inherited by genus Paeonia: 1
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| Ovary position: (i)For entirely or partly fused carpels, describe their position in relation to the insertion point of perianth leaves (best done by doing a longitudinal section of a flower). | superior (hypogynous) (i)Base of carpels attached above insertion point of perianth leaves, carpels free or fused
example: Delphinium, Anemone   inherited by genus Paeonia: superior (hypogynous)
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| Sex: (i)Distribution of male and female organs among flowers, only most commonly cases. | bisexual, hermaphrodite (i)All or nearly all flowers of a plant with male and female parts
example: Haplophyllum, Chenopodium inherited by genus Paeonia: bisexual, hermaphrodite
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| Inflorescence (i)flowering part of a plant, describes the arrangement of the flowers on the flowering axis | |
| Inflorescence: (i)Structure of the inflorescence. | Solitary flowers (i)Each flower grows on an own leafy stem there may be more than one, if the plant has many leafy shoots
example: Viola, Saxifraga hirculus, Rubus arcticus inherited by genus Paeonia: Solitary flowers
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| Fruit (i)the seed bearing organ, with or without adnate parts; a ripened ovary and any other structures which are attached and ripen with it. Aggregate fruits are handled like simple fruits for determination. | |
| Consistency: (i)Fleshy fruits or dry fruits, see dispersal adaptations for further classification. | dry (i)With a dry outer shell, no fleshy parts, but seed (embryo) could be edible inherited by genus Paeonia: dry
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| Type of fruit: (i)Common fruit types (including pseudocarp). | Solitary fruits (i)    inherited by genus Paeonia: Solitary fruits
follicle (i)A pod arising from a single carpel, opening along a single side (the inner suture to which the seeds are attached)    inherited by genus Paeonia: follicle
Dehiscent fruits (i)Fruits open along a longitudinale line (except silicula) inherited by genus Paeonia: Dehiscent fruits
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| Opening of fruit: (i)Mode of dehiscence at maturity to release seeds. | opening / dehiscent (i)Dry? Fruits opening with different types inherited by genus Paeonia: opening / dehiscent
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| Size of fruit: (i)Size of the fruit including appendage. | more than 10 mm (i)
example: Malus: wild apple inherited by genus Paeonia:
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| Root / shoot below ground (i)plant part below ground (in most cases), including below ground shoots, without leaves | |
| Root type: (i)Organisation of the roots. | allorhizous (i)Plant with a conspicuous tap root, one larger tap root with side roots
example: Dicotyledonae inherited by order Saxifragales: allorhizous
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| Distribution (i)region where the plant is likely to be found | |
| Distribution (Veg. Zones): (i)acc. to Grubov 1952 | Mongol-Daurian (i)In distribution data often named as '4' 
Great Khingan (i)In distribution data often named as '5' 
East Mongolia (i)In distribution data often named as '9' 
acc. to: Gubanov 1996 |
| Plant Status | |
| Red list status: (i)Rare Mongolian plants | very rare (Shiirevdamba 2007) (i)Very rare plant
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