Tas. 6437. 
PRIMULA Roska. 
Native of Kashmir. 
Nat. Ord. Priumvutaces.—Tribe PRIMULER. 
Genus Primvuta, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 631). 
Prieta rosea ; glabra, efarinosa, foliis confertis subsessilibus obovato-lanceolatis 
acutis crenulatis supra viridibus subtus pallidioribus marginibus vernatione 
revolutis, scapo robusto, involucri bracteis carnosis lanceolatis acuminatis 
basi in auriculam apice rotundatam oblongam deorsum productis, pedicellis 
bracteas sequantibus v. excedentibus, floribus confertis roseis erectis, calyce 
ad medium 5-fido, lobis subulatis acutis, corolle tubo calycem paulo exce- 
dente, limbi explanati late rosei segmentis planis enneato-obcordatis, lobis 
oblongis apice rotundatis, sinu acuto, fauce nuda, 
P. rosea, Royle, JU. Himal. Pl. p. 311, t. 75, f£.1; Duby in DC. Prodr, vol. iii. p. 41. 
This humble plant proved the most attractive novelty in 
the spring Horticultural shows of the present year; and, 
indeed, it would be difficult to single out any early-flowering 
hardy plant, except perhaps the blue Gentian of the Alps, 
which forms a more striking object of its kind. No Primula 
heretofore cultivated grows in the same compact manner and 
has such brilliantly-coloured flowers, which are almost’ pure 
carmine when first expanded, and gradually become pale, 
with a shade of purple. The species has been long known to 
Indian botanists and natives of the extreme Western 
Himalayas, from the district of Kulu eastward to Afghanis- 
tan ; Kashmir being its head-quarters, where it was discovered 
by the late Dr. Royle’s collectors, and afterwards gathered 
by Falconer, Thomson, Edgworth, and lately by Dr. 
Aitchieson, to whom the Royal Gardens are indebted for the 
seeds which were widely distributed, and from which, I 
believe, all the plants hitherto cultivated have been grown. 
We reeeived the first flowering specimen from Mr. Ware, 
of Tottenham; a few days afterwards it flowered at Kew 
and in many other collections. It is quite an Alpine species. 
Thomson gathered it at 10,000 to 12,000 feet, and Griffith 
JOLY Ist, 1879, 
