PRIMROSES AND AURICULAS 359 



P. ELATIOR (taller). Oxlip. Leaves wrinkled, on winged footstalks. 

 Flowers similar to those of P. vulgaris, but scentless, with short foot- 

 stalks springing from the top of a stout scape, 12 inches high, and either 

 horizontal or drooping ; the calyx also is less inflated ; April and May. 

 Indigenous to Eastern counties of England. The var. amcena is a purple- 

 flowered form from the Caucasus. 



P. FARINOSA (mealy). Bird's-eye Primrose. Leaves e^gg- or spoon- 

 shaped, with rounded teeth, smooth above, covered with white or 

 yellowish powder beneath. Flowers purple-lilac, erect or horizontal, 

 in umbels on stout scape, 2 to 8 inches high ; calyx mealy ; corolla |-inch 

 across, with wedge-shaped, cleft lobes, and contracted yellow mouth with 

 rounded folds ; June and July. Indigenous to Northern English counties. 

 The var. acaulis is a diminutive form. 



P. FLORIBUNDA (abundant flowers). Leaves lance-shaped, stalked, 

 toothed, covered with glandular down. Flowers yellow, in whorls; 

 scapes 4 to 8 inches. Introduced from Western Himalaya, 1883. 



P. JAPONICA (Japanese). Leaves large oblong-spoon-shaped, wrinkled 

 and coarsely toothed. Flowers in several whorls on the same scape, 1 to 

 2 feet high ; crimson, maroon, lilac, rosy, or white, the rim of corolla-tube 

 differently coloured ; March to May. Hardy in the South of England, 

 naturalised in some parts. Introduced from Japan, 1871. Plate 174. 



P. OBCONICA (reversed cone). Leaves somewhat heart-shaped, with 

 lobe-toothed, margins. Flowers, drooping, in umbels, pale lilac or 

 purplish; scapes 6 to 12 inches; April to June. One of the best of 

 greenhouse plants. The hairs on the leaves when handled are known 

 to cause an irritating skin eruption or eczema in some people. Intro- 

 duced from Central China, 1882. 



P. ROSEA (rosy). Leaves pale green, resembling those of P. vulgaris, 

 but not wrinkled ; edges crimped and slightly toothed. Flowers rosy 

 carmine, with yellow centre, six to ten in a head ; scapes stout, 4 to 6 

 inches high ; March to May. A good plant for the bog-garden. Intro- 

 duced from Kashmir, 1879. 



P. SCOTICA (Scottish). Very similar to P. fainnosa (of which it may 

 be a sub-species), but much smaller and with purple-blue flowers ; June 

 to September. Scapes 2 to 4 inches high. Indigenous to extreme North 

 of Scotland. 



P. siKKiMENSis (native of Sikkim). Leaves egg-shaped, rough and 

 wrinkled, doubly toothed ; footstalk winged. Flowers pale yellow, |- 

 inch across, in large umbels, sometimes comprising fifty or sixty flowers ; 

 scapes 1 1 to 2 feet high ; June to August. Introduced from Himalaya, 

 1850. 



