PRIMULA 



PRIMULA 



2791 



Said to be difficult to flower under cult., but blooms 

 freely in marshy places where it grows wild; it has the 

 color of a blue gentian. 



55. dedrum, Velen. Plant 8-10 in. high: Ivs. pro- 

 vided with sessile glands, subcoriaceous, stiff, margin 

 cartilaginous, punctate above, oblong or lanceolate, 

 very entire, acute, gradually or scarcely narrowed 

 toward the base: scape viscid, obscurely colored 



3177. Single and semi-double flowers of Primula sinensis. (XI) 



upward, exceeding the Ivs., bearing a somewhat nod- 

 ding, 1-sided umbel of 5-10 fls. : bracts oblong-linear: 

 fls. intense purple- violet ; calyx viscid, dark green, split 

 to the middle, with narrowly triangular acute lobes; 

 corolla gradually broadened toward the glandular 

 throat, the limb funnelform, about J^in. across, with 

 slightly emarginate lobes: caps, included. Bulgaria. 

 B.M. 8124. G.C. HI. 37:98. R.H.S. 39:113. F.S.R. 

 2, p. 239. Said to be difficult to grow, but thrives in a 

 rock-garden if well drained. 



III. FLORIBUXDJE. 



Thin-lvd. verticillate species, with leafy involucral 

 bracts, from S. W. Asia and Afr. 



A. Plant not farinose: calyx very deeply cut. 



56. floribunda, Wall. BUTTERCUP PRIMROSE. Plant 

 glandular-pubescent, 5-8 in. : Ivs. elliptic or ovate, acute 

 or obtuse, membranaceous, narrowed to a broad petiole 

 which is shorter than the blade, irregularly dentate: 

 scape bearing 3-5 many-fld., superimposed umbels which 

 are distant from each other: bracts sessile, If .-like, ovate 

 or lanceolate, acute, denticulate: fls. golden yellow, 

 fragrant; calyx split below the middle, broadly cam- 

 panulate with acute lobes which are reflexed after 

 flowering; corolla-tube slender with obcordate, rounded 

 or slightly emarginate lobes: caps, ovate, smooth. 

 Himalayas. B.M. 6712. G.C. II. 19:113; III. 27:195. 

 Gn. 41:580; 61, p. 270. R.H. 1895, pp. 400, 401. Gt, 

 45:1424; 47, p. 221. Gn.W. 5:453. Var. grandifldra, 

 Hort., is offered. Var. Isabellina, Hort., free-flowering, 

 with sulfur-yellow bloom. P. floribunda makes a good 

 pot-plant for winter bloom, smaller and more compact 

 than P. kewensis. It is grown the same as P. kewensis 

 and P. obconica. 



AA. Plant often farinose: calyx not cut to base. 



57. verticillata, Forsk. Not glandular, very gla- 

 brous, scarcely farinose, 8-10 in. high: Ivs. membrana- 

 ceous, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, not farinose, 

 acute or acuminate, irregularly and acutely serrulate, 

 narrowed to a short broad-winged petiole : scape bearing 

 several many-fld. superimposed umbels, farinose below 

 the umbels: bracts 1 -nerved; the lower lanceolate or 

 lanceolate-linear, acuminate, sharp-serrulate, longer 

 than the pedicels; the upper smaller, narrow, entire, 

 shorter than the pedicels: fls. yellow, fragrant; calyx 

 deeply parted, campanulate, with linear entire lobes; 

 corolla glabrous, the tube slender, cylindrical, the limb 

 %in. across, with obcordate, slightly emarginate lobes: 

 caps, globose, glabrous. S. Arabia. Gn.W. 24:398. 



177 



Tender in England except in sheltered places in the 

 milder parts; requires partial shade and a light soil. 



58. simensis, Hochst. (P. verticilldta var. simensis, 

 Hook. f. P. Courtii, Hort. Veitch). Not glandular, 

 bald, or farinose: Ivs. membranaceous, ovate-elliptic, 

 acute, irregularly and sharply serrate, narrowed to a 

 short broad-winged petiole: scape bearing several 

 many-fld. superimposed umbels: bracts 1-3-nerved; the 

 inferior lanceolate or ovate, acuminate, sharp-serrate, 

 longer than the pedicels; the upper smaller, subentire, 

 shorter than the pedicels: fls. yellow; calyx deeply 

 parted, campanulate, with triangular-lanceolate, entire 

 lobes; corolla-tube slender, cylindrical; the limb about 

 1 in. across with broad-ovate, slightly emarginate lobes: 

 caps, globose, included. Abyssinia. B.M. 6042. 



59. Boveana, Decne. (P. verticiUdta var. Boveana, 

 Mast.). Not glandular, more or less farinose or gla- 

 brous: Ivs. membranaceous, rhomboid or spatulate, 

 acute or acuminate, irregularly serrate or even some- 

 what incise-lobed, narrowed to a winged petiole which 

 is shorter than the blade: scape bearing several many- 

 fld. superimposed umbels: bracts (at least the lower) 

 sessile, If.-like, 3-neryed, rhombic-ovate, acuminate, 

 sharp-serrate, exceeding the pedicels; the upper 

 smaller: fls. yellow; calyx campanulate with triangular- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, denticulate lobes; corolla gla- 

 brous, tube slender, cylindrical, the limb more or less 

 than Hill- across with broad-ovate scarcely emargi- 

 nate lobes: caps, globose. Sinai. B.M. 2842 (as P. 

 verticillata) . 



IV. SlNENSES. 



Plants of various habit, with lobed distinctly petio- 

 late Ivs., the lobes dentate or crenate. Himalaya- 

 Chinese region. 



A. Calyx prominently inflated, truncate, or squared at the 

 base. 



60. sinensis, Lindl. (P. chinensis, Hort. P. Man- 

 danna, Hoffmg. P. prsenltens, Ker. P. semper fibr ens, 

 Lois.). CHINESE PRIMROSE. Figs. 3176, 3177. Trunk 

 short and woody, but as known in gardens the plant is 

 practically stemless, the ample foliage and the strong 

 short scapes arising directly from the surface of the 

 ground or very near it: whole plant soft-hairy: Ivs. 

 rotundate, soft, and usually limp, several-lobed and 



3178. Wild form of Primula sinensis, after one year's cultivation 

 from seed collected in China. 



