Article (magazine) published 2001.

The taxonomy of the Paeonia obovata polyploid complex in E-Asia has been controversial with treatments ranging from one species and two varieties to five species and numerous infraspecific taxa. Extensive observations in the field, analysis of morphological characters based on 32 populations sampled, and the examination of a large amount of herbarium specimens show that all the characters used by previous authors for distinguishing the species are variable between or even within populations: Leaf position, petal colour, stamen number (from 21 to 110 in the red-flowered and from 58 to 239 in the white-flowered form), filament and anther colour, style length as well as follicle number and position. Therefore, all these characters are of no value for species delimitation. However, an extensive chromosome survey and the analysis of morphological characters show that the ploidy level is basically correlated with the geographical distribution and with the indumentum on the lower leaf surface. Thus, the recognition of one species with two subspecies is proposed: Paeonia obovata subsp. obovata, mostly diploid, widely distributed in the north, east and south of the distribution range and glabrous to sparsely pubescent or hirsute on the lower leaf surface, and subsp. willmottiae, tetraploid, limited to the west and with leaves densely hirsute or pubescent below.

2 favorite votes.  

Article (magazine) published 2003.

The authors have reduced the number of Paeonia species in the Caucasus to three (P. intermedia, P. tenuifolia, P. davurica) after extensive field and herbarium research showed that most morrphological differences could not be taken as a base for differentiation. The species P. davurica was divided into the five subspecies <i>mlokosewitschii, coriifolia, tomentosa, wittmanniana, macrophylla</i>.

4 favorite votes.  

Article (magazine) published 2001.

12 favorite votes.  

Article (magazine) published 2004.

2 favorite votes.  

Book published 2010.

1 favorite vote.  

Book published 2011.

2 favorite votes.  

Article (magazine) published 2006.

The authors re-establish <i>P. corsica</i> Sieber ex Tausch as a separate species distinct from <i>P. mascula</i>, following research in the Mediterenean Islands, Italy and Greece.

8 favorite votes.  

Article (magazine) published 1996.

11 favorite votes.