2786 



PRIMULA 



PRIMULA 



GGG. Base of If, -blade narrowed into a 

 winged petiole, the If. -margin 

 entire or denticulate: caps, 

 cylindrical. XXI. NIVALES, p. 2807. 

 GGGG. Base of If .-blade cuneate or rounded, 

 contracted to petiole, the margins 

 usually coarsely toothed toward 

 apex: caps, cylindrical or ovoid. 



XXII. MACROCARP.E, p. 2808. 



I. HYBRIDS AND REPUTED HYBRIDS. 



Several hybrid primulas have attained more or less 

 prominence in cult, aside from those in the Vernales 

 group (P. elatior-veris-acaulis set), and they are briefly 

 described here ; P. kewensis is apparently the best known 

 of them in cult. In a genus so vast and abounding in 

 beautiful forms, many good cultural hybrids are to be 

 expected, although the number of artificial ones is sur- 

 prisingly small considering the number of species and 

 the length of time some of them have been in cult. For 

 an account of Primula hybrids in nature, see Farrer, 

 Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc. 39:112-28; also the mono- 

 graph by Pax & Knuth. 



A. Fls. yellow. 



1. kewensis, W. Wats. (P. floribunda x P. verticil- 

 lata). Fig. 3175. A hybrid that appeared in one of the 

 houses at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1897, 

 blooming in 1899: it has some of the mealiness of P. 

 verticillata and the general appearance of a robust form 

 of P. floribunda: Ivs. in rosette, 6-8 in. long and 1 H-2 

 in. wide, obovate-spatulate, tapering to a petiole-like 

 base, margins wavy and dentate: scapes many, 1 ft. 

 high, slender but erect, glabrous, bearing 2-4 whorls of 

 6-10 bright yellow fragrant fls. on slender pedicels: 

 bracts large, dentate: calyx campanulate, the lobes 

 regular and acute; corolla-tube 1 in. long, the limb 

 %in. across, the lobes nearly circular and notched. 

 G.C. III. 27:195. R.H. 1908:400. Gn. 59, p. 198; 

 64:10. G.M. 43:232; 51:320. G. 26:99. Gn.M. 15:18. 

 Gn.W. 20:249; 21:214. A var. farindsa, Hort., is 

 listed, the sts. and foliage covered with silvery white 

 powder. P. kewensis is a good winter bloomer of long 

 season, and a desirable companion for P. sinensis and 

 P. obconica; requires the general treatment of P. 

 obconica. 



A A. Fls. not yellow, in shades of red or purple, sometimes 



white. 

 B. Plants of the Auricula section or type. 



2. admontensis, Gusm. Said to be a hybrid between 

 P. Auricula and P. Clusiana, but probably a P. 

 Clusiana form or P. Clusiana x P. minima: described 

 by Paul as a very dwarf -growing plant, hardly 3 in. 

 high: fls. large, purplish lilac, in June: Ivs. fleshy, 

 round-oval, evergreen. Admont, in Steiermark, Aus- 

 tria. Said to thrive in full sun in limestone soil. 



3. ArctStis, Kerner. One of the numerous hybrid 

 progeny of P. Auricula and P. hirsuta (see P. pubescens, 

 No. 20) : as a garden plant, said to have acquired some 

 of the characteristics of both parents: fls. lilac-purple 

 or white, in May and June, on scapes 4-5 in. high. 

 Succeeds in partly shady places in sandy loam; natural 

 hybrid. 



4. Berninae, Kerner (P. hirsuta x P. viscosa). Three 

 to 4 in.: fls. large, rosy purple, on short sts.; April, 

 May. A natural hybrid. 



5. bifldra, Huter. Natural hybrid of P. glutinosa and 

 P. minima: fls. in 2's, deep rose-colored, rising scarcely 

 more than 1 in. above the foliage, early. Requires 

 partial shade and a well-drained position. 



6. Bilekii, Hort. A natural form from the Tyrol, 

 probably hybrid of P. minima and P. hirsuta: very small, 

 resembling P. minima but slightly taller, bearing pro- 

 fusely of large pale rose-colored fls.; late spring and 

 early summer. 



7. Bowlesii, Farr. (P. pedemontana x P. viscosa). 

 A natural hybrid, usually larger than P. pedemontana, 

 the upper face of Ivs. densely glandulose, scale longer, 

 pedicels longer and densely glandular, the umbel few- 

 fld. and 1-sided; smaller than P. viscosa, the fls. wider, 

 the Ivs. and pedicels with more or less rufous glands: 

 intermediate between the parents, with which it was 

 found. Intro. 1911. 



8. discolor, Leyb. (P. Porte?, Huter). Natural 

 hybrid of P. Auricula x P. cenensis: said by Paul to be 

 "a charming plant for sunny places on the rockery:" 

 3-4 in.: fls. lilac-purple with silvery white eye; April- 

 June. 



9. Facchinii, Schott. Natural hybrid of P. minima 

 X P. spectabilis: said to inherit the strength and vigor 

 of P. spectabilis and the free-flowering qualities of 

 P. minima: 3 in. : fls. rosy purple, usually 2 or 3 to each 



3175. Primula kewensis. (X;a) 



St.; May, June. Paul says that it is essentially a rock- 

 plant, succeeding in shady positions as well as in full 

 sun in light sandy soil. G.W. 15, p. 273. 



10. Floerkeana, Schrad. Natural hybrid, P. gluti- 

 nosa x P. minima: an excellent plant, intermediate 

 between the parents: 3 in. or less: fls. bright rose, in 

 heads. Succeeds best in partly shaded places in rock- 

 ery, in peaty loam. 



11. F6rsteri, Stein. Natural hybrid of P. hirsuta x 

 P. minima: resemblance closer to P minima, but with 

 2 or 3 larger fls., which are rosy purple with white 

 throat, carried 3-4 in. above the foliage. Brenner 

 Alps. G.C. III. 52:490. Prefers loamy soil in partial 

 shade; blooms in early spring and also in autumn. 



12. Goeblii, Kerner (P. Goebelii, Hort.). Natural 

 offspring of P. Auricula x P. hirsuta: 4-5 in.: Ivs. 

 stiff and fleshy, in close rosettes: fls. brownish violet; 



