502 ORDER 78. PRIMULACEyE. 



sort of umbel from the top of the stem, 8 10' long, inflated between the joint. 5 ?, 

 Flowers small, white, in numerous verticils, generally 4 in each, subtended by a 

 lance-linear bract. Apr., (Fla.), Jn. (Mass.) (U. palustris Ph., nee L.) 



2. PRIM'ULA, L. PRIMROSE. AURICULA. (Lat. primus, first ; be- 

 cause its blossoms appear earliest in spring.) Calyx angular, 5-cleft ; 

 corolla salver-shaped or often rather funnel-shaped, with 5 entire or 

 notched or bifid lobes ; stamens included, filaments very short ; cap- 

 sule ovoid, 5-valved, valves often bifid, opening at the top, co-seeded. 

 Herbs (mostly European) with the Ivs. all radical and fls. in an in- 

 volucrate umbel, often showy. 



* Plants native, wild. Corolla salver-form, abruptly spreading Nos. 1, 2 



* Plants exotic, cultivated, (at 



a Corolla salver-form. The lobes abruptly spreading Nos. 3, 4 



a Corolla funnel form. Leaves rucons, hairy, toothed Nos. 5, 6 



Leaves plain, smooth, often entire Nos. 7, 8 



1 P. Mistassinica MX. Los. spatulate, dentate or crenate, obtuse or acute, atten- 

 uate at base, green both sides ; invol. 1 8-flowered ; bracts 3 times shorter than 

 the padicels, linear-subulate ; cal. much shorter than the tube of the corolla ; cor. 

 salver-form, lobes obcordate. Shores of Seneca Lake, K Y. (Dr. Sartwell), Lake 

 Wiiloughby, Vt, and throughout Brit. Am. A very delicate plant, 3 to 7' high. 

 Leaves about 5, 5 8" by 3 4", almost petiolate. Flowers 5'' diam., white. 

 Pedicels 7" in length. 



2 P. farinosa L. (3. AMERICANA, Torr. BIRD'S-EYE PRIMROSE. Lvs. narrow, 

 veiny, elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse, denticulate at apex, attenuate at base, under 

 surface covered with a yellowish-white, farinaceous dust ; invol. farinaceous, 3 20- 

 flowered, shorter than the pedicels; bracts long-acuminate; cal. segments lanceo- 

 late, acate ; cor. salver-form, lobes obcordate, bifid, obtuse. Shores of Lakes 

 Huron and Superior (Nutt., Hough ton), N". to lat. G6. Scape 6 12' high. 

 Flowers pale purple, yellow in the center. 



3 P. grandiflora Lam. COMMON PRIMROSE. Lvs. obovate, oblong, rugous, 

 villous beneath, toothed ; umbel radical ; fl. stalks as long as the leaves ; cor. flat, 

 2 Native of Europe. An interesting garden plant, esteemed for its early flow- 

 ering, and for its being prolific in variation. In its wild state its flowers are yel- 

 low and single, but by cultivation they become double, and in the numerous 

 varieties, red, pink, white, orange, purple, &c., and the umbels, in numerous in- 

 stances, are on a scape. Apr. f (P. vulgaris Huds.) 



4 P. purpurea Royl. Lvs. lanceolate, obtuse, very smooth, covered beneath 

 with yellowish farina, margin undulate, revolute ; scape thick, glabrous, longer 

 than the leaves; invol. Co-flowered, as long as the pedicels, farinaceous beneath ; 

 cor. segments obovate, obtuse, not emarginate. Native of the mountains of Na- 

 paul, Asia. Flowers dark purple, f 



5 P. officinalis Jacq. COWSLIP PRIMROSE. Lvs. toothed, rugous, hairy 

 beneath ; umbels many-flowered, flowers all nodding ; cal. angular ; cor. concave. 

 1[ Native of Britain. Flowers yellow. Plant smells strongly of anise. Leaves 

 are used as a potherb, and are recommended for feeding silk-worms. Its varie- 

 ties may be increased by raising from the seed. Jn. | (P. veris Cam.) 



6 P. elatior Jacq. OX-LIP PRIMROSE. Lvs. toothed, rugous, hairy on each 

 side; umbel many-flowered, with the outer flowers nodding ; cor. flat. 14 Native 

 of Britain. Flowers yellow, scentless, in a simple umbel elevated upon a scape a 

 foot high. Apr., May. f 



7 P. auricula L AURICULA. Lvs. obovate, entire or serrate, fleshy ; scape 

 many-flowered, central, as long as the leaves ; invol. of short leaves ; cal. pow- 

 dery. 2 Native of tho Alps. A well known favorite of the florist. The culti- 

 vated varieties aro iariumerable, and many of them of exquisite beauty and 

 fragrance. May. f 



8 P. calycina Duby. Lvs. lanceolate, thin, smooth, entire, acute, surrounded 

 with a white margin ; invol. 3 5-flowered, as long as the pedicels ; cal. tube ven- 

 tricous ; cor. lobes obcordate, emarginate. Native of Mts. in Austria. Flowers 

 purple, very beautiful f 



