36o FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 



P. SINENSIS (Chinese). General outline of leaves heart-shaped, but 

 edges lobed and toothed ; fleshy, hairy, on long stalks. Flowers small 

 in the wild form, white or pale lilac, lobes with only one notch ; March 

 to May. Scape 9 inches high. Introduced from China, 1820. A green- 

 house plant, of which cultivation has produced numerous varieties both 

 single and double. Plate 175. 



P. VARIABILIS (variable). Polyanthus. Leaves intermediate in 

 character between those of P. vulgaris and P. veris, of which two species 

 it is generally considered a hybrid, although its origin is not known with 

 certainty. Flowers like those of the Common Primrose, but mounted 

 on tall scapes (5 or 6 inches high), and some mixture of purple, red, and 

 yellow, in endless variety of combinations ; March to May. Frequently 

 occurs wild in Britain. Plate 172. 



P. VERIS (true). Cowslip or Paigle. Leaves narrower than those 

 of P. vuhjari'^, downy. Flowers sinall, deep yellow, fragrant : funnel- 

 shaped, the lobes concave, forming a shallow cup ; drooping, in umbels, 

 scape 4 to 12 inches; April to June. Indigenous. Natural varieties 



P. viscosA (sticky). Leaves egg-shaped or more rounded, upper end 

 closely set with large teeth, viscid with glandular hairs on each surface. 

 Flowers rosy purple with white centres, in small umbels ; scapes sticky, 

 2 to 4 inches high ; May. Introduced from Pyrenees, 1768. 



P. VULGARIS (common). The Primrose. Leaves, broad, wrinkled, 

 becoming large after flowering. Flowers large, pale yellow, on separate 

 footstalks as long as the leaves ; April and May. The scape is suppressed 

 in this species, and the footstalks to the flowers appear as scapes. 

 Occasionally, however, specimens are found wild, with a tall scape 

 bearing an umbel of long-stalked flowers, and is then confounded with 

 P. eloiior. The flowers also occur rarely of a white, lilac, or pale purplish 

 tint. There are also numerous garden varieties and hybrids. Mr. G. F. 

 Wilson, of Weybridge, has raised a series of varieties with blue or purple 

 flowers. Indigenous. Plate 171. 



In addition to the foregoing species there are a very great number 

 of hybrids in cultivation, which are, as a rule, superior to the types for 

 horticultural purposes. For these we must refer readers to the catalogues 

 of the nurserymen. 



Primulas like a rich but open soil ; a position where 



they will neither dry up in summer, nor damp off" in winter. 



The hardy alpine species should be planted in the rock-garden, arid care 



should be taken to have their crowns above the soil ; they will be 



