THE POLYANTHUS. 



Prliniila elatior. 



HAT is the difference between 

 a primrose and a polyanthus ? 

 There is a great difference ap- 

 imrently, for one is catalogued 

 as Friiintla vvlgarlis, and the 

 other as Primula ehttior. The 

 ready answer is^ that a prim- 

 rose has one flower on a stalk, 

 but a pol}'anthus has many. 

 It happens, however, that prim- 

 roses are produced in clusters, 

 as polyanthuses are, but they 

 appear to be produced singly, 

 because the stem that carries 

 the cluster is very short, and 

 the secondary stem, or peduncle 

 that carries the flower, is very 

 long. Now and then a common 

 primrose determines to explain 

 the case to the young botanist, and then we see a stout 

 stem bearing on its summit a cluster of primroses. These 

 are called j)ol\'anthus j)i'i™i'Oses, and, generally speak- 

 ing-,. tbev are scarcely so pretty as the (apparently) single 



