in botany. See Prunus.

PÆAN, among the ancient pagans, was a song of rejoicing sung in honour of Apollo, chiefly used on occasions of victory and triumph.

PÆAN, in the ancient poetry, a foot consisting of four syllables; of which there are four kinds, the pæan primus, secundus, &c.

The pæan primus consists of one long syllable and three short ones, or a trocheus and pyrrhichius, as temporibus; the pæan secundus consists of a short syllable, a long, and two short, or an iambus and a pyrrhichius, as potentia; the pæan tertius consists of two short syllables, a long and a short one, or a pyrrhichius and a trocheus, as animatus; the pæan quartus consists of three short syllables and a long one, or a pyrrhichius and iambus, as celeritas.

PÆDEROTA, in botany, a genus of the diandria monogynia clas, of which there are two species, none of them natives of Britain.

PÆDO-BAPTISM, infant-baptism, or that conferred on children.

PÆONIA, in botany, a genus of the polyandria digynia clas. The calyx consists of five leaves, and the corolla of five petals; the stylus is wanting; and the capsule contains many seeds. There are two species, none of them natives of Britain.

The root of this plant is a very celebrated medicine in nervous cases.