Algerian peony

Paeonia algeriensis is a perennial herbaceous plant of more than ½ m (1.65 ft) high.

Stem and leaves. Stems are 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) in diameter. The leaves near the base of the stem consist of three sets of three leaflets, some of which are deeply incised, resulting in ten to thirteen leaflets and leaflet segments. These are oval in shape, with a round or slightly wedge-shaped foot, an entire margin and a pointed tip, 9–18 cm (3.5–7.1 in) long and 5½-8½ cm (2.17–3.35 in) wide. The leaflet stalks and the underside of the leaflets are always softly hairy, sometimes so dense as to giving it a whitish appearance.

Flower, fruit and seed. Each stem only carries one flower at the tip. Each flower may be subtended by one leaflet-like bract, but this may also be absent. There are three or four hairless, roundish, 2½–3 × 2-2½ cm (0.98–1.18 × 0.79–0.98 in) sepals which are all rounded at their tip, tinged purple inside and around the margin. The pink to cyclamen-colored inverted egg-shaped petals are 5–6 cm (2.0–2.4 in) long and 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) wide and are rounded at their tip. Like in all peonies there are many stamens. A very short, about 1 mm (0.039 in) and slightly wavy disk surrounds the base of one or two carpels, which are hairless or have few scattered hairs. They are topped by a 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) long style that end in red stigmas. …

Paeonia algeriensis is an endemic species of Algeria, that is limited to the coastal range known as Kabylie, in particular the parts called Djurdjura, Magris and Babor Mountains, and grows in forests dominated by oak and cedar.

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