Paeonia emodi Wallich ex Royle subsp. sterniana (H. R. Fletcher) Halda.

Herbs perennial, to 90 cm tall, glabrous throughout. Roots thick, attenuate toward tip, to 30 × 1.4 cm. Proximal leaves 2-ternate; leaflets decurrent at base; terminal leaflets segmented, segments again segmented; lateral leaflets unequally 2-segmented, segments linear-oblong or lanceolate, 5--12 × 1--2.5 cm, base cuneate, margin entire or often lobed, apex acuminate; segments and lobes up to 40. Flowers solitary, terminal, single, 8--10 cm wide, sometimes underdeveloped flower buds also present in axils of distal leaves. Bracts 3 or 4, leaflike, unequal. Sepals 3 or 4, ovate-orbicular or orbicular, 2--2.5 × 1.5--2 cm, apex mostly caudate. Petals white or pale pink, obovate, ca. 3.5 × 2 cm. Filaments yellow. Disc yellow, annular. Carpels 2--4, green, glabrous. Stigmas red-purple. Follicles ovoid, 2.5--3 × ca. 1 cm. Fl. May, fr. Sep.

* Woods; 2800--3500 m. SE Xizang.