LETTER XLI. 



THE PRIMROSE TRIBE THE EPACRIS TRIBE. 



Plate XLII. 



The Primerose, Primrose^ or First Rose of Spring-, 

 the Cowslip^ the Oxlip, the Auriculay or Powdered 

 Beau, are so associated with our earliest recollections 

 as children, that we never, to the last hour of our 

 existence, entirely cease to look upon them with plea- 

 sure. Nor indeed is it possible, independently of all 

 our remembrances of infancy, to behold without delight 

 a sunny bank all light and life with tufts of sweet 

 yellow flowers, when nature elsewhere remains in the 

 garb of death and winter. 



All these pretty plants are so well known to you, 

 that I might as well have left you to study them by 

 themselves, without any remark beyond what has 

 already been made upon a former occasion (Vol. I. p. 

 1870» if it were not my wish to illustrate in detail 

 every natural assemblao^e that is common enouo^h to 

 be likely to fall in your way. Leaving you then to 

 refer to our correspondence for the general facts con- 

 nected with the Primrose Tribe,- let us carefully note 

 down the structure of the Cowslip blossom (Plate 

 XLII. 1.). 



You know that the flowers grow in little nodding 

 clusters, or umbels, from the top of a round, brittle 



