274 PKIMKOSE FA.MILY. 



2. PRIMULA, I'KLMROSK, COWSLIP, etc. (Name from jjrimus, 

 spring, from the flowering time of true Primrose.) 2/ Two small 

 specie.s are scarce along our northern borders (.see Manual) ; the (o\- 

 lowing are the common ones cult, for ornament. 



* Calyx larije and loose, citlicr lanch iii^flatcd m- !<lu(ll<)ir-nip-sliaped. 



p. Sinensis, Sabine. Chinese Puimuose. A downy plant, with often 

 proliferous umbels of large and showy flowers, purple, rose, or white, 

 sometimes double, in one variety eut-fringed ; tender hou.se plant, with 

 inflated conical calyx, and round heart-sliaped 7-U-lobed and variously 

 cut or even crisped leaves. 



P. obcdnica, Hance. A pretty pot jjlant, with leaves all radical and 

 ovate-cordate (the sharp hairs irritating-poisonous to some people), 

 and slender scapes ()'-12' ; flowers blush-lilac or purple, often drooping, 

 the obconical petals deeply notched, the tube twice longer than the almost 

 saucer-shaped green and shallow calyx. China. 



* * Cahjx nrdhianj, neither trnhj inflated (but often loose) nnr shallow- 

 spreading. 



■*- Hardy, or nearly so, from Eii., iinth large tulnilar or oldong-hell- 

 shaped angled calyx about as long as the corolla tube, mid vrin- 

 Ide.d-veiny, oblong-cordnle, or spatulate leaves tapering into s/mrt 

 wing-margined petioles ; floicers naturally yellow, in spring. 



P. grandiflbra, Lam. (or P. vtuiARis and P. acaulis). True Prim- 

 rose, has leaves somewhat hairy beneath, and the large flowers rising on 

 slender pedicels from their axils, the proper scapes not developed ; corolla 

 fiat, sulphur-yellow. 



P. officinalis, Jacq. (or P. vehis). English Cowslip. Somewhat 

 pubescent with minute, pale down, scapes bearing the umbels above the 

 leaves, much smaller flowers of deeper color, and the limb of corolla 

 rather concave or cup-like, the throat commonly orange. The sorts of 

 Polyanthus are cultivated varieties, with flowers enlarged, of various 

 colors, or party-colored, often more or less double. 



•*- ->- Hardy or half hardy, icitli small calyx shorter than the tube of the 

 corolla, and smaller leaves. 



*-<■ Leaves cordate-ovate, hairy. 



P. cortuso'ides, Linn. Leaves soft, with doubly dentate margins ; 

 scapes tall (8'-15') and hairy, bearing an umbel of deep rose-colored 

 flowers on slender pedicels 1' or 2' long, the flowers Phlox-like, with 

 broadly obcordate petals. Russia to Japan. 



-w -* Leaves oblong or obovalr. not hairy. 



P. denticulata. Smith. Low, with a cluster of radical tongue-shaped or 

 spatulate denticulate or nearly entire leaves, and a capitate cluster of 

 small, bright lilac flowers, the narrow petals deeply notched. China and 

 India. 



P. Auricula, Linn. Aiuicula. Of S. Eu. ; low, with sessile leaves, 

 and scape bearing a few fragrant flowers, these pale yellow, with varie- 

 ties white, purple, or of various hues, "sometimes full double, and smooth 

 and thick obovate leaves, mostly covered with some fine mealiness ; petals 

 broad, obcordate. Well-known garden plant, scarcely hardy N. 



3. DODECATHEON. (Fanciful name, from Greek for «weZw s^ocZs.) 2/ 



D. Me^dia, Linn. Shooting Star, American Cowslip. In rich 



open woods from Penn., S., and especially W., and cult, for ornament; 



