PRIMULA. 



out upon the grey rock like fat hoary star-fishes ; and its stalwart 

 heads of blossom, mealy-mouthed, of the imperial Chinese yellow. 

 This glorious plant, one of our oldest friends in the garden, belongs to 

 the main alpine chain, and ranges eastward only. On all the central 

 Alps it will be seen universal and abundant at the upper levels, growing 

 often in masses in the moorland turf, but much more stolid and splendid 

 on sunny cliffs of limestone, and occasionally seeding down on to the 

 moraines, where it grows with the amplitude of a cabbage. In its 

 wide distribution and diversity of situation P. auricula divides into 

 many marked variations. Splendid as is the type, so abundant for 

 instance in the Bernese Oberland, much more noble still is the yet 

 greater P. a. Bauhini, which appears in lists under the secondary name 

 of P. a. albocincta. P. a. Bauhini is the prevalent form of the South- 

 ern limestones of Monte Baldo and the Judicaria. Though found 

 through almost the whole range of the type, it is here, I think, most 

 notable, and may bo known by its magnificent development, and by the 

 heavy silver powdering that covers the leaves, and gathers into a clear 

 and brilliant white line round their rims. The flowers are borne in 

 vast generous trusses, and are very large and wide-eyed, with a cir- 

 cular ring of white meal at their throat. Then there is P. a. mona- 

 censis, a curious relic of the glacial period, on high moors by Munich, 

 with smaller development, a neat rosette, leaves much greener and 

 many times longer than their breadth. P. a. serratifolia hails from the 

 Banat, and has serrate leaves ; P. a. Widmerae, from the Black Forest, 

 and has powderless hairy leaves of thin texture. P. a. Obristii is the 

 P. similis of catalogues ; it has more or less glandular powderless 

 foliage, edged with soft hairs. This form belongs chiefly to the North- 

 eastern Alps and Western Carpathians. And next comes P. a. ciliata, 

 which, if catalogues had any conscience, should appear under this 

 name alone. As it is, they often offer Primulas called Balbisii, bellun- 

 ensis, or Dolomitis, which are all in reality nothing but P. a. ciliata. 

 This is a magnificent small form, with broad foliage, powderless, glan- 

 dular, densely hemmed with hairs. The flowers of this type should 

 be svveot-scented, and, in at least one development, from the Forcella 

 Lungieros, the leathery bright-green leaves are regularly and deeply 

 dentate, the noblo wide open flowers on 4-inch scapes being of an 

 exceptionally deep and gorgeous golden-yellow. But , indeed, the varia- 

 tions of P. auricula are endless ; and though the variety ciliata centres 

 in the Southern limestones, it maybe found overlapping and grading 

 into tin rest elsewhere. I have to add two other specially well-marked 

 forms ; one a glabrous, small-growing plant, from rock-faces on the 

 i'Yfhij.i l'uss, with large wide flowers, very sweet, of a beautiful pale 



112 



