THE AURICULA 71 



much research has recently been done on this point. 

 It would, however, involve a too lengthy botanical 

 preface to permit us to discuss it here. 



The Auricula flourishes chiefly on limestone soils, 

 in fairly dry situations. It is extremely abundant in 

 June, for instance, on the terraces of the natural rock 

 garden of the Engstlen Alp (Canton Berne), where 

 the limestone rocks are weathered into fantastic 

 shapes, owing to their solubility and lack of resistance 

 to decay under the influence of atmospheric agencies. 

 This pasturage resembles an artificial rock garden 

 covering thousands of acres in extent, and in the 

 crevices of the decayed limestone crags many an 

 Alpine plant of interest flourishes in addition to the 

 Auricula. 



The rosette of leaves of the Auricula placed close 

 to the ground is well protected against the danger of 

 undue evaporation of moisture, under the hot suns of 

 early summer, by the waxy covering or mealy bloom, 

 with which both the upper and lower surfaces are 

 thickly dusted. The leaves themselves are really 

 green, though the colour is masked by the mealy 

 powder. In addition, there are special tissues for 

 water storage within the substance of the leaf, as its 

 thick semi-succulent nature would lead one to imagine. 

 It will be noticed that the waxy bloom is not confined 

 to the leaves, but also occurs both on the common 

 and the individual flower- stalks, as well as at the 

 throat of the corolla itself. 



The Long-flowered Primula [Primula longiflora, 



