382 THE ALPINE FLORA 



generally solitary, of beautiful rosy-lilac, rarely white. 

 Leaves glabrous, cheerful green, and deeply toothed at 

 the tip. June-July. Eastern limestone Alps. 1700-2 200 m. 

 A well drained niche of very sandy peat, with a liberal 

 topdressing of silver sand. It grows best in partial shade, 

 but flowers best with sun. 



P. hirsuta (P. viscosa) (PI. LXX1 11). The well known, 

 rosy flowered primrose from the granitic rocks of the 

 Swiss Alps, found from the valleys up to the snow-line, 

 which gives such wonderful touches to the landscape at 

 the time of nature's re-awakening. Ordinarily bright 

 carmine, it is here and there found with white flowers. 

 Naturally hybridising with P. auricula, it has given rise, 

 in the Alps of Vaud and lower Valais as well as in Tyrol, 

 to numerous crossbreeds which are welcomed into our 

 gardens. The collection at Linnaea is admirable and well 

 worthy a visit. Into the resultant minute differentiations 

 it would be wearisome to go. Perhaps the best varieties, 

 in addition to the type, are P. vis. ciliata and P. 

 pubescens alba or helvetica which is identical with that 

 commonly, but incorrectly, known in gardens as nivafo, 

 as the true nivalis is a Caucasian. The flowers of P. 

 helvetica are more boldly displayed than those of viscosa 

 and of much more telling white. Both are charming and 

 easy plants, preferring sandstone and granite to chalk. 



P. lati folia or graveolens is not unlike a less viscid and 

 robuster viscosa, with larger and broader leaves, which 

 sometimes measure 4X2 in. ; the stem, often twice as 

 long as the leaves, carries a fine umbel of 2-1 5 fragrant, 

 lilac-violet flowers. Sunny, sandy peat slopes of the 

 Grisons with plenty of summer moisture. Top dress 

 regularly. 



P. integrifolia (syn. P. Candolleana) is a small species ; 

 leaves elliptic-oblong, greyish-green, glandular-ciliate on 



