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4 BALFOUR—NEW SPECIES OF PRIMULA. 
Primula alsophila, Balf. fil. et Farrer. 
Sylvestris humicola stolonifera late stolonibus fragilibus 
radicantibus sub muscos repens. Folia petiolata ad Io cm. 
longa 2-3 basi vaginantia rhizomatis corona exeuntia caetera 
evaginantia e stolonibus singulatim inter se remota orientia ; 
lamina cordato-palmatifida ad 3 cm. longa ad 4 cm. lata 7-lobata 
lobis quadratis acutis acute tri-lobulatis margine piloso-ciliata 
sinu angusto utrinque sparsim pilosula laeto-viridis subtus 
pallidior ; petiolus tenuis pilis albidis sparsissime obsitus. Scapus 
ad 15 cm. longus gracillimus infra sparsim albo-pilosus superne 
puberulus umbellam 2-3-floram gerens ; bracteae 2-3 ad 6 mm. 
longae lineari-subulatae membranaceae puberulae; pedicelli 
filiformes ad 2 cm. longi minutissime sparsimque puberuli nunc 
purpurascentes ; anthopodium turbinatum. Calyx ad 6 mm. 
longus late campanulatus sepalorum nervis centralibus paullo — 
prominulis viridi-vittatus intervallis pallidioribus subpergamen- 
taceis punctatis ultra medium fissus lobis divaricatis a basi 
lanceolato-acuminatis minutissime subpuberulis et ciliolatis 
viridibus nervo medio conspicuo. Corollae lilacinae tubus 1.2 
cm. longus cylindricus membranaceus in flore brevistylo supra 
stamina ampliatus intus transverse rugosus annulatus annulo Io- 
lobato lobis per paria antipetalis deorsum concavis, limbi concavi 
discus 1.5 mm. latus, lobi imbricati obovati ad 7 mm. longi 
profunde fissi. Stamina filamentis latis basi expansis et antheris 
1.5 mm. longis ad faucem tubi corollini antherarum apicibus. 
fere exsertis inserta. Ovarium pyriforme; stylus brevis tubo 
calycino vix longior ; stigma magnum discoideum. 
Species sectionis Geranioidis habitu repente, foliis, umbella 
pauciflora satis distinguenda. 
Tibet. Farrer and Purdom. No. 178. 1914. Banks of 
very deep moss and woodland decay, only in the very highest 
woodland zone of the Thibetan forests round the Bei Ling, at 
II,000-12,000 ft., among the Pyrolas—uniflora and rotundifolia. 
A most dainty and charming plant, running freely underground, 
and forming carpets many yards across. Flowers July 21 
(prime a little earlier) ; seed mid-October. In Herb. Edin. 
This is a most delightful species, quite different from all 
others of the section Geranioides. The long creeping stolons 
with slight rooting system are most striking—suggestive of the 
growth-form of the plants with which it grows in the moss. 
Stolons occur in many Primulas, but I know of no other species 
with the type of stolon shown by this plant. That it is com- 
mensal might be surmised from its habit, and I find. as is usual in 
plants of its habitat, that its stolons are traversed by a mycelium. 
Whether, as is the case in Pyrola, Malaxis, and other like plants, 
the mycelium extends to the leaves, I have not material to 
