PBIMULACEJ:.] PRIMULACE3V. 3 



An erect glaucous shrnb, 6-10 ft. high. Stem terete, striate, somewhat 

 scurfy. Leaves pei foliate, up to 5 in. long, thick, coriaceous, more ir 

 less covered with scurfy scales ; the lower ovate, obtuse ; upper orbi- 

 cular and often apiculate, margins undulate. Flowers crowded in 

 panicled spikes, shortly pedicelled ; bracts small, lanceolate. Calyx 

 tubular, about ^ in lon#, winged between the 5 strong ribs, the wings 

 membranous and transversely wrinkled; teeth acute, equalling about 

 the length of the tube. Corolla-tube nearly 1 in. long ; lobes - in., 

 obovate-oblong, emarginate, apiculate. Stamens slightly protruding 

 from the throat of corolla. Style hairy at the base. Capsule in. long 

 or more. Seed pyriform, smooth, ^ in. long. 



Confined to the dry western border of the area witbin the districts of 

 A]mer and Merwara. Fiowera during the cold season. DISTBIB. : Mt. 

 Abu in Kajputana, Sind and in the drier portions of the Bombay 

 Presidency. Found also in Arabia. 



LXIV.-PRIMULACEJE. 



Perenninl, rarely annual, herbs. Leaves all radical, or radical and 

 cauline, exstipulate. Flowers 2-sexual, regular. Calyx inferior 

 (except Samolus), 5- (rarely 4-9) cleft. Corolla hyf ogynous (except 

 Samolus and none in Glaux), rotate, bell- or funnel -shaped, usually 

 5-cleft. Stamens on the corolla-tube and opposite th>8 lobes (hypogy- 

 nous and \vith alternating staminodes in Glaux), filaments usually 

 short, anthers 2-celled and dehiscing usually by slits. Ovary 1- 

 celled, usually free, sub-globose or ovoid, style short or long, stigma 

 undivided; ovules many, on a free central placenta. Capsules 

 dehiscing transversely or by valves, few- or many -seeded. Seeds 

 minute, usually angular, often sunk in the placenta.* Species about 

 250, chiefly in 3. temperate and alpine regions. 



Ovary superior : 



Corolla with a distinct tnbe, lobes imbri- 

 cate : 



Corolla-tube long .... 1. PRIMULA. 

 Corolla-tube short .... 2. ANDBOSACB. 

 Corolla divided nearly to the base, lobes 

 contorted : 



Capsule opening by valves . 3. LTSIMACHIA. 

 Capsule splitting transversely. 



Corolla exceeding the calyx . 4. ANAGALLIS. 

 Corolla shorter than the oalyx 5. CENTUNCULUS. 

 Ovary ^-inferior, corolla-lobes imbricate . 6. SAMOLUS. 



B2 



