PRIMULACEiE. (PRIMROSE FAMILY.) 515 



Order LXI. PRIMUL-ACEiE. Yen. (Primrose Family). 



Herbs with ojpjposite or alternate, simple leaves, and 

 regular, perfect floicers, the stamens as many as the lobes of 

 the monopetalous (or nearly polypetalous ) corolla, and in- 

 serted opposite them on the tube (in Samolus twice as many 

 as the lobes of the corolla, the outer five sterile, inserted in 

 the sinuses), and a free, 1-celled ovary, with a free, central, 

 basilar placenta^ several- to many-seeded. Calyx free from 

 ovary, or in Samolus partly coherent, 5- (rarely 4-) lobed. 

 Corolla 5- (rarely 4-) lobed. Style and stigma 1. Seeds 

 generally peltate-. 



* Capsule superior, dehiscent above or down its whole length by valves. 



t Flowers terminal. Leaves rosetted at base. 



1. PRIMULA, if Roots fibrous. Alpine and subalpine plants with showy flowers on scapes. 



9. ANDROSACE. If (D © Roots fibrous. Dwarf plants, with small, short-pedicelled, 

 umbelled flowers. 



3. CYCLAMEN. If Roots tuberous. Corolla with short tube and reflexed limb. 



f f Flowers axillary. Leaves scattered. 



4. LYSIMACHIA, © Tall, stout plants, with racemed or panicled flowers. 



5. ASTEROLIJfUM. Dwarf, tender plants, with filiform branches and solitary, minute 



flowers. 



* * Capsule superior, opening by a lid. 



6. ANAGALLIS. Diff'use or ascending plants, with axillary, blue or reddish flowers. 



* * * Capsule half-superior, opening by valves. 



7. SAMOLUS. 2f Erect herbs, with small, white flowers, in terminal racemes or panicles. 



1, PRIMULA, L. Primrose. Cowslip, 



Calyx angled, 5-cleft. Corolla salver-shaped, with dilated throat. 

 Pod many-seeded, dehiscent at apex by 5 valves — Subalpine and alpine 

 herbs, with showy flowers. 



P. acaulis, Jacq. If Leaves obovate-oblong, tapering to a 

 petiole, wrinkled, dentate, hirsute at lower surface along veins or 

 everywhere. Scapes .15 to .3, as long as leaves or shorter, 1-flowered, 

 numerous. Corolla yellow, pink, or white, limb .02 to .035 broad, 

 lobes obcordate — February and March — 1000 to 2000 m., in Galilee, 

 Lebanon, Nusairy Mountains, Cassius, Amanus, and northward. 



2. A^DROSACE, L. Androsace. 



Calyx 5-lobed. Corolla salver-shaped, with short tube, the throat 

 narrowed by a small crown or folds. Capsule usually few-seeded, 5- 

 valved almost to base — Low, perennial, biennial, or annual herbs, 

 with umbelled flowers. 



1, A. villosa, L. If .02 to .04, villous, tufted; stems recurved, 

 brittle. Leaves lentieular to oblong, or ollanceolate, .002 to .004 long, 

 entire. Scapes before flowering as long as or longer than few-flowered 



