124 The Scottish Naturalist. 



"Flora of Fife and Kinross" for Ballingall's "Shores of Fife," published ii* 

 1872. One differential appearance, not only common among our indigenous 

 Primulas, but also inherent among the many varieties, even when placed 

 under cultivation, is the position of the anthers in the throat or tube of the 

 corolla, and this appears to regulate the length of the globose stigma, as 

 when the anthers fill up the throat of the corolla, the stigma is placed 

 below them, but when the anthers are placed further down (hidden), the 

 globular stigma is elevated into the mouth of the corolla, which was 

 described by the florist when he assumed the position of a judge, as" 'a 

 worthless pin-eyed thing." One feature presented by the primrose, 

 is that the scape is one-flowered, as distinguished from the cowslip, which 

 has a scape umbellate with the flowers drooping. We not unfre- 

 quently meet with the one-flowered scape, and the umbellate or many- 

 flowered scape, on the same plant. We noticed this diversity in connection 

 with a circular unbroken outline of the corolla, which was also conspicuous 

 at a distance in consequence of the darker yellow colour it displayed 

 among the pale yellow of its associates growing in the deep wooded ravine 

 known as Kiel's Den ; the flowers were one inch in diameter. On plac- 

 ing this variety under cultivation, where it still retains its pecularities, 

 many seedlings were raised of brown and purple colours, shades of 

 yellow predominating. They also varied in form from the parent plant 

 by presenting the combined scapes on the individual plant, as in the 

 parent, with flowers of larger size, while the large majority presented 

 flowers singly on a scape, as in the common primrose, which many of the 

 seedlings thus raised resembled. We selected two plants of the latter, 

 which seed freely, from which we have raised a goodly number of seedlings, 

 with flowers measuring ij& inches in diameter, differing in shades of 

 yellow to that of white, and the edge of the .corolla being a little fringed 

 or entirely smooth. In order to shorten the number of names, I purpose 

 designating this combination the "Louisa" group, (in commemoration of a 

 labourer in the domain of science), being a representation combining the 

 umbel, or many-flowered scape, with the one-flowered scape, in connection 

 with an enlargement of the floral umbel, and where the limbs of the corolla 

 spread into an entire circle. 



In the " Flora of Fife and Kinross" the following notice also occurs : 

 " Collected from Kiel's Den, a group of three plants with the tubular calyx 

 cut up into linear segments. " These plants in no way differed from the com- 

 mon group of primroses among which they were growing, excepting that the 

 entire calyx or floral leaves were represented by detached segments, re- 

 sembling, in some examples, bracts. This group also seeds freely, and the 

 seed, by a succession of sowings, has produced a very great number of 

 varieties in colour of flowers, from dark purple to white, including orange 

 and various shades of yellow ; the greater number being plants flower- 

 ing with scapes bearing one flower, while on other plants they have 

 scapes with an umbel of flowers. Another peculiarity among this group 

 of seedlings is where the calyx is represented by forms of what may be 

 termed cauline leaves, in place of the bracteate divisions of the calyx, as in 

 the parent plant. This extension of bracts into foliated envelopes is ob- 

 served also in Plantago major and Plantago maritima, of which Fife fur- 

 nished us examples. Another form of this group of plants, where the brac- 

 teate form predominates, is where the scape bears an umbel of flowers. 



