PKIMULACF.J,. 



245 



unequal at base, petiolate, with weak, scattered prickles and straight, red 

 veins, the under surface deeply reddened. The flowers with tlieir peduncles 

 are of an extremely delicate pink-color in all their parts except the yellow 

 stamens or pistils. Fertile flowers larger than the sterile, and on peduncles 

 twice as long. Wings of the ovary 3, triangular, one of them larger than the 

 other two. Sepals 3( — 5.'), roundish, ]( — 2.-') uiuch smaller. Stigmas 

 curiously knotted and twisted. After the flowers, the plants produce numer- 

 ous axillary and terminal bulblets, from \yhich new plants may be reared, or 

 from seeds or cutlincrs. 



ORDER LXXXiy. PRIMULACE^E. The Primrose Tribe. 



Cat. — 5 (rarely 4)-clefl, inferior, regular, persistent. 



Cor. — 5 (rarely 4)-clett, regular. 



Sta. — Ijiserted on tJie lube oflhe corolla, as many as its lobfis and opposite to them. 



Ova. — 1-celled, wit'i a free, central placenta, tityle and Slipna simple. 



Fr. — Capsule many-seeded, the fleshy placenta attached only to the base of the cell. 



A small, but interesting family of herbs, with opposite (sometimes wjiorled or alternate) 

 leaves, often all raiUcal, and the flowers on a scape. The species are common iu the 

 northern temperate regions, growing in swamps, groves, by rivulets and olten among the 

 snow of cloud-capped mountains. Many are beautiful, and highly prized iu culture. 

 Properties unimportaiU. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



( Aerial Primula. 1 



fhypocraterilbrm. ( Aquatic. .... Hottor,ia. '2 



\ 1 yellow. ..... Lysbnaciiio. .T 



f.5-cleft, ( rotate, I scarlet Anagallis. 4 



I 7 ((i — 8)-parted, stamens 7 (li — 6) Trietilaiis. 5 



(0. Corolla ( 0, calyx canipanalate, colored. ..... Giavx. (> 



Scales ( 5 (sterile filaments), alternate with the 5 stamens. ,. . . Samolus. 7 



1 . P R 1' M U L A . 



Corolla salver-form, with an open orifice; capsule opening 

 with a 10-cleft dehiscence 5 stamens 5, not e.xserted ; stigma 

 globose. 



Lat. primus, first, because its blossoms appear earliest in spring. Herbs 

 (mostly Europeati), with radical Ivs. Fls. in involucrate umbels. Cal. 

 tubular, 5-toothed. Cor. 5-lobed, lobes emarginate, tube cylindric. 



1. P. VULGA'RIS. — Lfflvesobovate, oblong, rugose, villous beneath, tooth- 

 ed ; umbel radical ; jioicer stalks as long as the leaves ; corolla flat. Native 

 of Europe. An interesting garden plant, esteemed for its early flowering, and 

 for its being prolific in variation. In its wild state its flowers are yellow and 

 single, but by cultivation they become double, and in the numerous varieties, 

 red, pink, white, orange, purple, &c., and the umbels, in numerous instances, 

 are on a scape. The roots and leaves smell of anise seed, and wiien dried 

 and powdered are used as a snuff, and also as an emetic. The number of 

 varieties is vast, and is readily increased by cultivation from seed. April. 

 May. Per. Common Primrose. 



2. P. ELA'tioR. — Leaves toothed, rugose, hairy on each side ; wmW 

 many-flowered, with the outer flowers nodding ; corolla flat. Native of 

 Britain. Flowers yellow, scentless, in a simple umbel elevated upon a scape 

 a foQt high. Apr. May- Per. Oilip Prirnrasf. 



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