Tas. 5916. 
PRIMULA sapontca. 
Native of Japan, 
Nat. Ord, Primutace®.—Tribe PrimuLee. 
Genus Prrwua, L. (Hndl. Gen. Plant., p. 731). 
PrimuLa japonica ; glabra, foliis vix petiolatis obovato-oblongis v. spathu- 
latis argute dentatis vy, duplicato-dentatis venosis efarinosis, scapo elato, 
- floribus numerosis_ verticillatis, involucri bracteis lineari-subulatis 
inappendiculatis integerrimis pedicello multo-brevioribus, calyoe 
ovoideo-campanulato, lobis triangulari-subulatis, tubo intus farinifero 
equilongis, corolle purpure» tubo oe longe superante lobis 
obcordatis, capsula globosa vertice nuda denum irregulariter rupta. 
PrimuLa japonica; A. Gray in Mem. Amer. Acad. Seience, vol. vi. p. 400. 
Respecting the discovery of this superb plant, I have been 
favoured with the following note, by Mr. Fortune ; it is dated 
April 26th, 1871, and states that “it was met with by me, in 
full flower, in gardens near Yedo, in May, 1861. I saved 
its seeds at the time, and sent them home to England, but 
they failed to vegetate. Plants also were lost on the voyage. 
Since that time I have made many efforts to introduce it into 
England, but only last year succeeded in getting seeds to 
vegetate. For these seeds I am indebted to W. Keswick, 
Esq., of Hong Kong, and Messrs. Walsh, Hall, and Co., of 
Yokohama, which gentlemen have thus the honour of intro- 
ducing a very lovely plant into English gardens. It is per- 
fectly hardy in England, and is now, April 26th, in full 
bloom in Mr. Bull’s establishment at Chelsea; there are 
several varieties, all beautiful, and no doubt we soon shall 
have many more.” 
The only previous notice of this plant I can find, is A. 
Gray’s description quoted above, and which was drawn up 
AugusT Ist, 1871. 
