1886.] G. King — On three new Himalayan Primulas. 227 



IX. — On three new Himalayan Primulas. 

 By G. King, M. B., LL.D., F.L.S. 



[Received and Read April 7th, 1886.] 



(With Plates VIII., IX., and X.) 



Since the publication of the Primulacece by Sir J. D. Hooker in his 

 Flora of British India, several collections of plants from the higher 

 parts of the Eastern Himalaya have reached the Calcutta Herbarium, 

 Amongst these I find three species of Primula which I believe to be 

 undescribed, and which I now describe and name. 



1. Primula Tanneri, King. Glabrous, not mealy ; basal sheaths 

 short, broad, membranous. Leaves long-petiolate deltoid, with cordate 

 base and acute apex, the edges irregularly and coarsely serrate, glaucous 

 beneath when young and sometimes slightly puberulous, especially on 

 the nerves, blade about 2 inches long and 1*5 in. broad; petioles 

 1*5 in. long, often narrowly winged. Scape slender, from 5 to 8 inches 

 long, two- to eight-flowered, bracteoles minute subulate from broad bases, 

 pedicels slender and unequal, some of them as long as the flowers. 

 Calyx infundibuliform, cleft half-way down, the teeth lanceolate^ 

 rather longer than the tube of the corolla. Corolla bluish white ; the 

 tube cylindric or sub-infundibuliform, the throat with a dentate 

 annulus, the limb "75 in. across, deeply lobed, the lobes obcordate. 

 Ovary globose pyramidal ; the stigma sub-capitate. Fruit unknown. 



Hab. — Sikkim Himalaya at elevations of about 11,000 feet, Col. H, 

 C. Tanner : Chumbi Valley, Dr. King's collectors. 



This approaches P. geranicefolia, Hook, fil., P. Kaufmanniana, 

 Regel, and P. cortusoides^ Linn., in flowers and inflorescence ; but the 

 leaves are very different. 



There is in the Calcutta Herbarium a specimen in young fruit, but 

 without corollas, of a Primula which has leaves very like those of this 

 species. It was collected by Mr. R. Pantling in the Lachen valley in 

 Sikkim at an elevation of about 12,000 feet, and it evidently belongs to a 

 nearly allied, but distinct species, which I have provisionally named 

 P. deltoidea. Mr. Pantling notes that the corolla of his plant is purple 

 with a yellow eye. 



Some fragmentary specimens in the Calcutta Herbarium, named 

 P. Balfouriana^ Watt MSS., also come near this. 



Plate VIII, fig. 1 Primula Tanneri, King, 2 corolla natural size, 3 

 calyx, ovary, style, and stigma, 4 corolla, 5 stamens, slightly enlarged. 



