Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Divisio: Magnoliophyta
Classis: Magnoliopsida
Ordo: Saxifragales
Familia: Paeoniaceae
Genus: Paeonia
Species: Paeonia brownii

Name

Paeonia brownii Douglas

References

* W. J. Hooker, Fl. bor.-amer. 1:27. 1829
* USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Data from 07-Oct-06]. [1]

Vernacular names

Paeonia brownii (Brown's Peony or Native Peony), is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Paeoniaceae, native to the western United States, growing in dry sagebrush and Ponderosa Pine country. Excepting Paeonia californica, which is sometimes considered a subspecies, this is the only Paeonia native to North America.

Native to the western United States, P. californica grows in southern California, and subspecies brownii is native to Wyoming and Utah.[1]

It is 24-50 cm tall with flowers of a dark maroon opening to 2-3 cm. Flowering occurs in April to June followed by a long dormancy.

The species grows at high elevations and experiences long, cold winters with little or no snow and a short growing season, while subsp. californica is less cold hardy, and is a near-desert succulent, going a year or more without rain.[1]

Neither subspecies is typically grown in gardens.

It is named after Scottish botanist Robert Brown.[1]

Notes

1. ^ a b c Halda, Josef J.; James W. Waddick (2004). The Genus Paeonia. Timber Press. pp. 196–205. ISBN 9780881926125.
References

* The Genus Paeonia - Josef J. Halda and James W. Waddick - Timber Press (ISBN 0-88192-612-4)