342 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxix. 



This has brought to me a criticism from Mr. E. H. Wilson, 

 the renowned traveller and collector. He says : " Your 

 information as to the habitat of Primula obconica is 

 scarcely accurate. As far as my knowledge goes, this plant 

 is always found in moist grassy places. It is abundant 

 around Ichang by the wayside. Unlike Primula sinensis 

 it never occurs on the face of cliffs or in dry rocky places." 



This is a valuable comment. It tells that what we have 

 considered the type form of P. obconica, Hance, is not a 

 chasmophyte, and at Ichang whence it and P. sinensis, 

 LindL, are found, the habitats of the two species are not 

 alike. This does not detract from the interest to the 

 problem I have formulated — increases it rather, because 

 we learn from the notes of collectors, and no less from the 

 physiognomy of the specimens preserved, that P. obconica, 

 Hance, may become a chasmophyte — P. parva, Balf. fil., 

 for instance, from clefts of rocks on high peaks, carries 

 the impress of its rupestral environment. I gather that 

 P. sinensis, LindL, is chasmophilous and restrictedly so, 

 whilst P. obconica, Hance, has the capacity of chasmophily, 

 although at Ichang it does not exercise its powers in this 

 way. Why ? Is it a question of altitude or of nature 

 of rock ? 



LIST OF PLATES. 



Plate. 



XXI. Primula obconica, Hance. Hupeh : about Ichang, 1879. 

 Coll. Watters. Xo. 21,000 of Herb. Hance in Herb. 

 Brit. Mus. 

 XXII. Primula obconica, Hance. W. China : S. Wushan. Coll. 

 E. H. Wilson. No. 121. 6, 1901. In Herb. Edin. 



XXIII. Primula obconica, Hance. Sutcbuan : banks of the Blue 



River at Che-pa-to. Coll. Delavay. No. 317 bis. 18, 

 iv, 1882. Flowers rose. In Herb. Paris. 



XXIV. Primula obconica, Hance. Grown in the Royal Botanic 



Garden, Edinburgh. 26, vi, 1907. In Herb." Edin. 

 XXV. Primula obconica, Hance. Grown in the Royal Botanic 

 Garden, Edinburgh. 26, vi, 1907. In Herb. Edin. 

 XXVI. Primula Listeri, King. Nepal : S.W. slopes of Tongloo 

 9000 ft. Coll. Lister. 7, v, 1877. Flowers purple with 

 dark centre. In Herb. Calcutt. 

 XXVII. Primula Listeri, King. Sikkim : on the outer spur of 

 Sandakphu, 10,000 ft. Coll. Watt. No. 5307. 17, v, 

 1881. In Herb. Edin. 

 XXVIII. Primula Listeri, King. Chumbi : Soo-li-la. King's 

 collector. No. 599. 28, v, 1884. Corolla light red. 

 In Herb. Calcutt. 

 XXIX. Primula austrolisteri, Balf. fil. Manipur : Ching-sow, 8000 

 ft. Coll. Watt. No. 6561. 18, iv, 1882. In Herb. Edin. 



