THE DICOTYLEDONES 1871 



Prlmulaceae 



The plants which compose this family are herbs, with simple leaves 

 and often with solitary flowers. They frequently perennate by means of 

 rhizomes or tubers. The leaves are opposite or alternate, frequently radical 

 and usually entire. 



The familv includes a number of common wild flowers, of which we may 

 mention the following: nine genera are represented in the British Flora: 

 Primula, which includes P. vulgaris (the Primrose), P. elatior (the Oxslip) 

 and P. veris (the Cowslip) ; Lysimachia, which includes L. vulgaris (Yellow 

 Loosestrife), L. nemorum (Yellow Pimpernel) and L. nummularia (Moon- 

 wort or Creeping Jennv); Glaux, with the single species G. maritima (Sea 

 Milkwort) ; Hottonia palustris (Water Violet) ; Anagallis, with two species, 

 A. arvensis (Scarlet Pimpernel) and A. tenella (Bog Pimpernel); Centmiculus 

 minimus (Chaff-weed); Trientalis europaea (Chickweed Wintergreen) ; 

 Samolus valerandi (Brookweed); and finally Cyclamen hederifolium 

 (Cyclamen) which is not really native in this country. 



Manv other species are cultivated in gardens, in particular those of the 

 genus Primula (Fig. 1778). The centre of distribution of this genus appears 

 to be Assam and south-eastern Asia, where on the mountain-sides meadows 



Fig. 1778. — Primula vulgaris. Primrose. In a Cambridgeshire woodland. 



largely populated with species of Primula form a conspicuous feature. In 

 recent years the introduction of many of these plants as garden flow^ers has 

 been made possible by the activities of such well-known plant collectors as 

 Farrar, Kingdon Ward, Ludlow, Sherriff and others. 



The plants are herbaceous, sometimes annual, but more usually perennial, 

 perennating by sympodial rhizomes as in Primula, or tubers formed trom 

 the swollen hypocotyl as in Cyclamen. The plants often have a rosette of 

 radical leaves, though there may be an erect or creeping stem as in Lysi- 

 machia. The leaves are generally simple, often toothed, but in Hottonia 

 the submerged leaves are finely divided. In other genera the leaves may be 

 opposite, alternate or whorled. 



2D 



