PRIMULACEiE-PRIMROSE FAMILY 



POLYANTHUS 



Primula varibbilis, var. polydnlhus. 



Primula, Latin, primus; because of the early flowering of many of 

 the species. 



A low, stemless perennial, with radical leaves and scape-borne flowers; 

 blooming in early spring. One of the best of the hardy European prim- 

 roses, and believed to be of garden origin. 



Leaves. — Radical, wrinkled, enlarging after the flowering period. 

 Flowers. — Red or red and yellow, borne on scapes, five to six inches 

 high. 

 Calyx. — Long, slightly inflated tube, five-toothed. 

 Corolla. — Salver-shaped, with five spreading lobes, each lobe notched. 

 Stamens. — Five, inserted on the corolla tube. 



Ovary. — Ovoid, one-celled; style thread-like bearing a capitate 

 stigma. 



In our northern 'gardens two types of hardy primroses are 

 cultivated: Polyanthus and Common Primrose. Of the two. 

 Polyanthus is in some respects the more desirable, as it seems to 

 bear our climate a little better than the other. If the plant is given 

 a moist location where it is slightly shaded from the midday sun, 

 it will flourish and blossom from year to year. Its bright blos- 

 soms look very cheerful along the garden walk early in May, 

 companioned by the moss pink and the hardy candytuft. During 

 the blooming period the flowers quite overtop the leaves, bvi 

 by the middle of June the leaves become six or eight inches high 

 and three to four broad. 



The flowers of the type are principally yellow, or red with a 

 yellow eye. There is a form with one corolla inside the other, 

 known as Hose-in-Hose. 



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