P R I 



P R I 



pistillum is a globular germ : style filiform, the 

 length of the calyx : stigma globular : the peri- 

 carpium is a capsule cylindrical, almost the 

 length of the perianth, covered, one-celled, 

 opening with a ten-toothed top : the seeds 

 numerous, roundish : receptacle ovate-oblong, 

 free. 



The species cultivated are: 1. P. vulgaris. 

 Common Primrose; 9. P. ela/inr, Great Cow- 

 slip or Oxlip; 3. P. officinalis, Common Cow- 

 slip or Paigle ; 4. P.farinosa, Bird's-eye Prim- 

 rose ; 5. P. Icmgifolia, Long-leaved Bird's-eye 

 Primrose ; 6. P. cortusoides, Cortnsa-lcaved 

 Primrose J 7. P. marginata, Silver-edged Prim- 

 rose ; 8. P. Juricula, Auricula or Bear's-ear. 



The first has a perennial root, growing ob- 

 liquely, appearing as if bit off at the end, beset 

 with thick reddish scales which are the remains 

 of past leaves, sending down numerous very 

 long round whitish fibres ; it has a singular 

 smell, somewhat like that of anise : the leaves 

 are obovate-oblong, about a haad's-breadth in 

 length, nearly upright, tapering to the base, 

 blunt, veiny, wrinkled, smooth above, hirsute 

 beneath, rolled back at the edge when yoimg, 

 slightly waved, unequally notched, the midrib 

 whitish, terminating in a footstalk of a reddish 

 colour, channelled on one side and keeled on 

 the other : the scapes or peduncles numerous, 

 the length of the leaves, upright, round, hir- 

 sute, pale green, having awl -shaped bractes at 

 the base, after the flowering is over bending 

 back : the flowers upright, large, sweet-scented: 

 the corolla is of a pale sulphur colour ; each of 

 the five clefts obcordate, aiid marked at the 

 base with a spot of a much deeper yellow : the 

 mouth has a faint rim round it. The flower of 

 the wild Primrose k a pale brimstone colour ; 

 but in some places it is found of a purple hue. 



The varieties are numerous, being partly wild 

 and partly produced by cultivation. The prin- 

 cipal of vvhich are ; the Common Yellow- 

 flowered: the White: the Paper-while : the Red : 

 the Double Yellow : the Double White : the 

 Double Red : the Double Pink : the Double 

 Crimson Primrose. It is a native of most parts 

 of Europe, flowering in March and April with 

 the Wood Anemone. 



It is observed, that a fine flower of this sort 

 should possess a graceful elegance of form, a 

 richness of colouring, and a perfect symmetry 

 of parts. The properties are mostly similar to 

 those whith distinguish the Auricula, in what 

 relates to '.he s'.em or scape, the peduncles or 

 flower-stalks, and the formation of the umbel, 

 bunch or thyrse, vulgarly termed the truss : the 

 tube oi the corolla above the calyx should be 

 short, well filled at the mouth with the anthers. 



and fluted termination rather above the eye : the 

 eye should be round, of a bright clear yellow, 

 and distinct from the ground colour : the giourid 

 colour is most admired when shaded with a 

 light and dark rich crimson, resembling velvet, 

 with one mark or stripe in the centre of each 

 division of the border, bold and distinct from 

 the edging down to the eye, where it should 

 terminate in a fine point : the petals, technicaliv 

 termed the pips, should be large, quite flat, and 

 perfectly circular, excepting the small inden- 

 tures between each division, which separate it 

 into five (sometimes six) heart- like segments ; 

 and the edging should resemble a brisrht gold 

 lace, bold, clear and distinct, and so nearly of 

 the same colour as the eye and stripes, as 

 scarcely to be distinguished from it. 



The second species has the leaves contracted 

 towards the middle, almost as in the Cowslip : 

 the scapes few, erect, longer than the leaves, 

 many-flowcrcd : the flowers umbelled, pedicel- 

 led, the outer ones generally nodding; like those 

 of the Primrose in form and colour, but smaller. 

 From which it is evidently distinguished by its 

 many-flowered scape ; as it is from the cowslip- 

 by the flat border of the corolla. It is found 

 in the woods and other places in this Country,- 

 flowering in April and May, 



Martyn remarks that if it be a variety, it is 

 rather of the former than the latter. And Dr. 

 Smith rather inclines to think that it is a hybrid' 

 production, or mule from a Primrose impreg- 

 nated by a Cowslip. 



It varies much in the colour of the flowers, 

 but the chief are purple-flowered, red-ilowered, 

 gold-coloured, orange-coloured, with various 

 shades of each-. 



The third has a root like that of the Primrose, 

 but smelling more powerfully of anise : the 

 leaves obovate-oblong, contracted suddenly to- 

 wards the middle, or rather ovate with the pe- 

 tiole winged, shorter than those of the Prim- 

 rose by nearly one half, fuller at the edge, 

 which is somewhat folded as well as notched, 

 stronger, of a deeper green, not running so 

 taper at the base, covered on the under side 

 with softer and shorter hair : the petioles 

 smoother, whitish with scarcely any red in 

 them : the scapes few, three or four times 

 longer than the leaves, round, upright, pale, 

 villose ; the involucre at the base of the umbel, 

 surrounding the peduncles, consisting of many, 

 very small, concave, pale, acuminate leaflets : 

 the' flowers in an umbel, unequally pedicelled, 

 hanging down, generally to one side, full yel- 

 low with an orange-coloured blotch at the base 

 of each segment, contracted about the middle 

 of the tube, where the stamens are inserted, 



