Mountain peony: a plant from the Red Book

Paeonia oreogeton S. Moore, or mountain peony, is more rare in nature. Man has endangered the extinction of this delicate ornamental flower. But it would seem that it is bad in the craving of mankind to contemplate the beautiful? But many can not just watch, they need to collect a huge bouquet, trampling a whole glade. And they are not embarrassed that in an hour they will throw away the collected splendor, well, do not drag the withering flowers home. And then we have to tell you that Peony Mountain is a plant from the Red Book. But there is a hope that humanity will still understand that being a king of nature means being responsible for all living and non-living things around.

Some general information about peonies

Peony (Paeonia) is a common name given to the genus of perennial herbaceous plants. The genus has united not only grasses, but also deciduous shrubs, it is a question of tree-like peonies. About 45 varieties of this plant are known. They all constitute a single family called the Pion (Paeoniaceae). Before the selection in a separate family, the Peony Plants were ranked among the Lyutikovs.

In scientific circles, controversy still continues on the botanical characteristics of pions. There is an opinion that there are from 40 to 47 natural forms (among which there is a mountain peony, a plant from the Red Book, a description of which will be given in more detail). Disputes are also being made about how many species grow on the territory of the post-Soviet space. According to different sources, it is 14 or 16 species.

Classification by type of flower

At once we will notice, that the given classification is more suitable for garden, instead of wild kinds of peonies. But still bring it worth it, so you understand the difference in the shape of flowers. As wild peonies became the starting point of all garden varieties.

Classification of all varieties of pions includes indicators of origin and shape of the flower. On these grounds the pions are divided into 5 groups:

1. A simple form of a flower, having one, at most two layers of outer petals. Without an inner crown.
2. Semi-double shape, having from three to five rows of outer petals. Without an inner crown.
3. Japanese form (the ancestor of the peony milky-flowered), several external rows (1-2), inside the transformed stamens, in the form of narrow ligulate petals.
4. Anemia form. 1-2 circles of outer petals, inside truncated stamens, so-called petalodia.
5. Terry shape. In this case, most of the flower's volume is filled with petals that cover the reproductive organs.

Sectional classification

A more widespread classification of pions was proposed by the biologist Kampulyaria-Natadze. Wild-growing species are divided into 5 sections according to this classification:

1. Moutan DC. These are shrub species common in East Asia.
2. Flavonia Kem. - Nath. The name of the section is translated as "Flavones of the Campularia Natadze". Here are collected 8 species that have a coloring pigment - flavone, found in the Far East and the Caucasus. It is in this section that the Peony Mountain (a plant from the Red Book) is represented.
3. Onaepia Lindley. Several grassy peonies with fleshy notched leaves. Distributed in the western part of North America. The section consists of two types.
4. Paeon DC. An extensive section consisting of 26 varieties. Herbaceous plants with fleshy foliage, along the edges of which are deep incisions. The territory of distribution - the Caucasus, Asia, Europe, the Far East, China, Japan.
5. Sternia Ket .- Nath. Here are collected 12 herbaceous species, united in the form of leaves. Their form is three-folded with deep incisions or pinnately dissected with linear lobes.

Now, after the general information about the peonies and their classification, it's time to talk more about the endangered species - Peony Mountain. The red book (a description of the flower itself will be presented below) is almost every year replenished with new types of flowers and plants that need special protection.

Where there is a mountain peony

Peony mountain within Russia occupies not too extensive territory. He meets in the Khabarovsk Territory in the vicinity of the city of Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, in Primorsky Krai, in the vicinity of Vladivostok, as well as in Khasansky, Shkotovsky and Tetyukhinsky districts. Another mountain peony is growing in the Sakhalin region. Here it occurs in the vicinity of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsk. In the list of the distribution of the plant, it is possible to add the territories of Nevelsky, Poronaisk, Tomarinsky and Kholmsky areas. This species of wild peonies occurs on the islands of Shikotan, Iturup.

Distribution outside Russia includes China, the Korean peninsula, Japan.

Phytocenological preferences of the mountain peony

We are talking about the division of biology, which studies the combination of elements of botany, geography and environmental factors. Science studies the totality of plant communities and the dynamics of their development.

Mountain peony prefers mixed forests with coniferous and broad-leaved vegetation, as well as deciduous forest tracts. It grows on the gentle slopes of hills or in shady places along river flood plains.

The species is characterized by a single scattered growth. Sometimes there are small groups of mountain peonies. Carpet glades and extensive thickets of mountain peony does not form.

Appearance of the plant. Stem and leaves

We can say that, as the peony looks, they represent everything. But now you know that there are a lot of different kinds in this genus, which have characteristic features. Therefore, let's imagine what the peony mountain looks like. The description of appearance will not take much time.

This variety of pions refers to kistekornevym plants, the rhizome which is distributed horizontally. The height of the stem can range from 30 cm to 60 cm. The stem itself is single, erect and somewhat ribbed. A strip of violet anthocyanin pigment is noticeable along the ribs. Such stems are called simple. At the base of the stem there are several large cover scales. Their size is about 4 cm, and the color is reddish-violet.

The leaves of the mountain peony are threefold triple. The leaf blade is somewhat rounded, its width varies from 18 to 28 cm. Considering the mountain peony, the description of leaflets can be supplemented by the fact that they have an oval, obovate shape. Leaf entire, without dissections. The top of the leaf has a short, sudden spiky. The foliage color of the plant is dark green, with pinnate red-violet veins.

Description of the flower

Now it's time to tell what the flower looks like, so you can imagine the plant more accurately. Peony mountain, a plant from the Red Book, blooms single, apical cupped flowers. Their diameter is from 6 to 12 cm. The flower is supported on three dark green dense concave sepals. The petals are arranged in one row. They can be 5-6 pieces. That is, it is a simple form of a flower whose petals have an obovate oblong form. For petals is characteristic white-cream color. More often than not, a mountain peony, a photo of which can be made in the wild, is precisely this color. In rare cases, you can find a plant of this species with a gently pink flower. The edges of the petals are slightly wavy. Their length is about 6 cm, and width - 4 cm. In the central part there are about 60 short stamens. Their length does not exceed 2 cm. On top of the stamen there is a bright yellow anther, and the stamen thread itself is white with a purple base. Most often in a flower, 1 pestle, but occasionally there may be 2-3 pcs.

Description of the fruit and seeds

The fruit of the mountain peony, which develops after flowering, is a single leaf. Occasionally, 2-3 leaflets can be found. The length of the fetus is up to 6 cm. The leaflet itself is bare, has a greenish-violet color. Opened arched, inside there are dark seeds. Their number is from 4 to 8 pcs. In addition, inside may be raspberry infertile seed rudiments of the same size.

Mountain peony, a photo and description of which is available in this article, begins to bloom in late spring, in May-month. Ripening of fruits takes place by August.

Factors affecting the number

Mountain peonies suffer greatly because of man's irrational attitude towards nature. The fact that people thoughtlessly cut flowers in the woods, we have already said. But the plant is put on the brink of survival not only this factor. Gardeners-lovers dig up rhizomes in order to breed a beautiful flower on private plots. Forests, in which the mountain peony feels best, are cut down. Often this cutting is illegal, poaching, pursuing only personal gain. In this case, people do not think about the preservation of grassy vegetation at all.

Damage to the mountain peony is caused by forest fires, which most often occur due to a person's negligence. In addition, a serious limiting factor is agricultural development of territories, which enhances the recreational load on the forest. This means that human influence can lead to both a slight change in the forest landscape and a complete degradation of the ecosystem, which is a disaster for nature.

Security measures

We have already said many times that the mountain peony is a plant from the Red Book. The description of this endangered species was made back in 1984, and then transferred from the Red Data Book of the USSR to the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation.

For the protection of the species, PAs (specially protected natural areas) are organized. In these territories, environmental, scientific and cultural work is carried out, related to the conservation and increase in the number of mountain peonies. The location of the PAs is Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin. There is a complete ban on the collection and excavation of plants.

Possibility of cultivation

Mountain peonies are rarely found on private farms. Although growing them in vegetative ways is quite possible. The main points of cultivation are botanical gardens. They apply a scientific approach to the introduction of the endangered species. For reference: introduction is the migration of a plant or an animal beyond the natural habitat.

At garden cultivation the mountain peony did not cause any special difficulties. In a suitable climate from the beginning of vegetation to flowering, it takes about a month. The flower lasts about a week. If the plant gave seeds on the flowerbed, then the introduction was successful. Cultivated mountain peony, the photo of which is presented above, is slightly different from the wild ancestor. It has larger flowers, leaves and a more powerful root system. In some cases, the plant can bloom earlier than in the wild. For example, when cultivating in the botanical garden of Tashkent, mountain peonies began to bloom not in May, but in mid-April.