302 ORDER 18. PRIMULACE^I. 



sort of umbel from the top of the stem, 8 10' long, inflated between the joints, 

 Flowers small, white, in numerous verticils, generally 4 in each, subtended by a 

 lance-linear bract. Apr., (Fla.), Jn. (Mass.) (H. palustris Ph., nee L.) 



2. PRIM ULA, L. PRIMROSE. AURICULA. (Lat. primus, first ; be- 

 cause its blossoms appear earliest in spring.) Calyx angular, 5-cleft ; 

 corolla salver-shaped or often rather funnel-shaped, with 5 entire or 

 notched or bifid lobes ; stamens included, filaments very short ; cap- 

 sule ovoid, 5-valved, valves often bifid, opening at the top, oo-seeded. 

 Ilerbs (mostly European) with the Ivs. all radical and fls. in an in- 

 volucrate umbel, often showy. 



* Plants native, wild. Corolla salvor-form, abruptly spreading Nos. 1, 2 



* Plants exotic, cultivated. (a> 



a 'Corolla salver-form. The lobes abruptly spreadm?; ' Nos. 3, 4 



a Corolla funnel -form. Leaves rugous, hairy, toothc.'l Nos. 5, 6 



Leaves plain, smooth, often entire Nos. 7, 8 



1 P. .Mistassinica MX. Lvs. spatulate, dentate orcrenate, obtuse or acute, atten- 

 uate at base, green both sides ; invol. 1 8-flowered ; bracts 3 times shorter than 

 the psdicels, linear-subulate ; cal. much shorter than the tube of the corolla ; cor. 

 salver-form, lobes obcordats. Shores of Seneca Lake, N. Y. (Dr. Sartwell), Lako 



Willoughby, Vt. and throughout Brit. Am. A very delicate plant, 3 to 7' high. 

 'Leaves about 5, 5 8" by 3 i", almost -petiolate. Flowers 5'' diam., white. 



Pedicels 7" in length. 



9 P. farinosa L. ft. AMERICANA, Torr. BIRD'S-EYE PRIMKOSE. Lvs. narrow, 

 veiny, elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse, denticulate at apex, attenuate at base, under 

 surface covered with a yellowish-white, farinaceous dust ; invol. farinaceous, 3 20- 

 flowered, shorter than the pedicels; bracts long-acuminate; cal. segments lanceo- 

 late, acute ; cor. salver-form, lobes obcordate, bifid, obtuse. Shores of Lakes 

 Huron and Superior (Nutt., Honghton), N. to lat. GG. Scapo 6 12' high. 

 Flowers pale purple, yellow in tho center. 



3 P. grandiflora Lam. COMMON' PRIMROSE. Lvs. obovate, oblong, rugous, 

 villous beneath, toothed ; umbel radical ; fi. stalks as long as the leaves ; cor. flat, 



. If Native of Europe. An interesting garden plant, esteemed for its early flow- 

 ering, and for its being prolific in variation. In its wild state its flowers are yel- 

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



t varieties, red, pink, white, orange, purple, &c., and the umbels, in numerous in- 

 stances, are on a scape. Apr. f (P. vulgaris Huds.) 



1 4 P. purpurea Royl. Lvs. lanceolate, obtuse, very smooth, covered beneath 

 with yellowish farina, margin undulate, revoluto ; scape thick, glabrous, longer 

 than the leaves; iuvol. co-flowered, as long as the pedicels, farinaceous beneath ; 

 cor. segments obovate, obtuse, not emarginate. Native of the mountains of Na- 

 paul, Asia. Flowers dark purple. { 



5 P. officinalis Jacq. COWSLIP PRIMROSE. Lvs. toothed, rugous, hairy 

 beneath ; umbels many-flowered, flowers all nodding ; cal. angular ; cor. concave. 

 14 Native of Britain. Flowers yellow. Plant smells strongly of anise. Leaves 

 are used is a potharb, and aro recommended for feeding silk-worms. Its varie- 

 ties may bo increased by raising from tho seed. Jn. f (P. veris Cam.) 



6 P. elatior Jacq. OX-LIP PRIMROSE. Lvs. toothed, rugou-, hairy on each 

 side; umbel many-flowered, with the outer flowers nodding; cor. flat. 1( Native 



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

 foot high. Apr., May. f 

 7 P. auricula L. AURICULA. Lvs. obovate. entire or serrate, fleshy ; scape 



many-flowered, central, as long as the leaves; invol. of short leaves; cal. pow- 

 dery. U Native of iluj Alps. A well known favorite of the florist. The culti- 

 vated varieties aro innumerable, and many of them of exquisite beauty and. 

 fragrance. May. f 



8 P. calycina Duby. Lvs. lanceolate, thin, smooth, entire, acute, surrounded 

 with a white margin ; invol. 3 5-flowered, as long as the pedicels ; cal. tube ven~ 

 tricous ; cor. lobes obcordate, emarginate. Native of Mts. in Austria- Flowers 

 purpl-?, very beautiful, f 



