Where is the molecular data!!! Lumping all these under one heterogenous P. daurica does not make much sense when there are ploidy differences between some of them (caucasica=daurica v. coriifolia is 2n=10, and wittmanniana is 2n=20, diploid and tetraploid). The only recent phylogeny is from Russia and has a large polytomy where some of these Caucasus species included (they still include oreogeton). They also have the occasional hybrids that lead to the variability of flower color named; chamaeleon and litvinskajae. Is that third and final part of the series out? Really, the phylogeny should have been first. So far I've only seen thorough analyses of the Moutan. Aaron --- On Wed, 4/24/13, James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com> wrote: From: James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com> Subject: Re: [pbs] Paeonia mlokosewitschii To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2013, 11:38 PM Dear Jane, P.mloko may one of the most frustrating of species peonies to grow. Part of this is due to the repeated 'insistence' that flowers are 'picture perfect' 'moonlit yellow'. But the species is quite variable and Prof. Hong De Yuan is his most recent monograph on the genus has helped to clarify the mess. In the wild plants can be found bearing a rage of colors from picture perfect pale yellow to bright glowing pink and all combos in between. And there are a range of closely related forms all now in the species P. daurica. You may be familiar with some subspecies formerly considered true species such as P. d. macrophylla, P. d. wittmanniana, P. d. coriifolia and of course P. d. mlokosewitschii.