358 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 



Principal Species. PRIMULA Allioni (Allioni's). Scapes 3 inches high. 

 'Leaves oval or spoon-shaped, densely covered with a short 

 glandular down, slightly toothed. Flowers, 1 inch across, solitary or in 

 pairs ; mauve with white centre ; April. Native of the Alps of Dauphiue ; 

 introduced 1818. 



P. ALTAIC A (Altaic). Plant 3 to 5 inches high. Leaves egg-shaped, 

 with somewhat waved margins, and slightly mealy. Flowers, 1^ inch 

 across, mauve or purple-crimson, with yellow centres ; numerous ; May 

 to July. Introduced from the Altai, 1819. 



P. Auricula (ear-like). Leaves egg-shaped or oblong-lance-shaped, 

 smooth, fleshy, glandular- toothed. Flowers, f-inch across, bright yellow 

 (assuming many different hues under cultivation), in umbellate clusters of 

 many flowers at the summit of the scapes ; 3 inches high ; March to May. 

 The parent of innumerable beautiful varieties and hybrids. The var. 

 fiore pleno is a natural form. 



P. AURICULATA (eared). Leaves oblong or egg-shaped, smooth with 

 slight round teeth at edges, pale beneath. Flowers purplish with white 

 centre, drooping, five or six in an umbel, 4 inches high : May and June. 

 Native of Asia Minor, introduced 1825. Somewhat resembling P. 

 farinosa, but with longer flowers. 



P. CALYCINA (large calyx). Leaves oblong or lance-shaped, with a 

 horny, waved margin ; glaucous beneath. Flowers purple, umbelled, on 

 short scapes (3 inches) : May and June. Native of Lombardy ; introduced 

 1838. ^ 



P. CAPITATA (headed). Leaves oblong, wrinkled and toothed, mealy 

 beneath. Flowers deep violet-blue, mealy, densely packed in round heads, 

 n inch across; scapes 6 to 9 inches high; April to June. Introduced 

 from Himalaya, 1850. 



P. CORTUSOIDES (Cortusa-like). Leaves large, heart-shaped, wrinkled, 

 deeply and doubly toothed, on long footstalks. Flowers deep rose, in 

 -mbels; scapes 6 to 10 inches high; May and June. Native of Japan 



and Siberia; introduced 1794. The 



. Sieholdii is larger and hand- 



somer than the type. Introduced from Japan, 1865, and known 

 gardens as P. amaena. There are numerous seedling varieties of this. 



P. DENTICULATA (toothed). Leaves oblong-lance- shaped, hairy, 

 wnnkled and toothed, mealy as well as hairy beneath. Flowers bright 

 lilac, i-inch across, in dense heads; scape 8 to 12 inches: April to Jmie. 

 Native of Himalaya. The var. pidchcrrhua lias deeper lilac flowers; 

 larger head and taller scape. Var. alba has white flowers. Var. cash- 

 meriana has pale purple flowers with yellow eye, scape very stout and 

 mealy, and the mealiness under leaves taking a golden hue. 



