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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS peimula 



toothed towards the apex. Flowers in 

 early summer, rosy, or sometimes white, 

 about 1 in. across, solitary, or occasionally 

 in pairs. 



Culture dc. as above. Chinks of the 

 rockery, or in patches, in moist sandy 

 loam. P. minima has a great tendency 

 to cross-fertilise with other species growing 

 near it, and as may be seen from the 

 descriptions many hybrids owe their 

 origin to its influence. 



P. minutissima. — A tiny Himalayan 

 gem with deep green rosettes of leaves 

 |-1 in. across, oblanceolate toothed, 

 powdery beneath. Flowers in July, indi- 

 vidually about i in. across, bright purple, 

 1-3 on scapes scarcely rising above the 

 foliage. Corolla lobes cleft. 



Culture dc. as above. To obtain the 

 best effect, several plants should be grown 

 closely together in free sandy loam and 

 leaf soil in the rockery. 



P. mistassinica (P. jausilla). — AN. 

 American species about 3 in. high. Leaves 

 spoon-shaped, toothed or crenate, smooth. 

 Flowers in Jime, salver-shaped, red, 1-8 

 in a whorl. Corolla lobes obcordate, 

 slightly notched. 



Culture <tc. as above. Well-drained 

 soil in the rockery. 



P. mollis. ^-A distinct Himalayan spe- 

 cies with long-stalked, hairy, roundish, 

 heart-shaped, bluntly toothed leaves, hairy 

 on both surfaces, and 2-3 in. long and 

 broad. Flowers from May to July, about 

 1 in. across, starry, crimson, with a deep 

 crimson eye ; 6-8 in whorls on the upper 

 part of a stout scape 9-12 in. or more high. 

 Corolla-lobes oblong obovate, notched. 



Culture dc. as above. May receive the 

 same treatment as P.japonica. 



P. muretiana. — A hybrid between P. 

 integrifolia and P. latifoUa, and resem- 

 bUng P. dinyana. Leaves 3-4 in. long, 

 broadly ovate lance-shaped, entire or 

 slightly toothed, covered with clammy 

 hairs. Flowers in April and May, deep 

 rich purple, several in an umbel. 



Culture dc. as above. Rich deep sandy 

 loam and leaf soil in rather shaded parts 

 of the rockery. 



P. muscoides. — A small densely tufted 

 native of the Sikkim Himalayas. Leaves 

 obovate oblong or rather spoon-shaped, 

 coarsely toothed. Flowers in early 

 summer, purplish, small, solitary. Corolla 

 lobes deeply cleft. The variety tenuiloha 



has a narrower hairy corolla-tube, and 

 very narrow deeply cleft lobes. 



Cultu/re do. as above. Sandy soil in 

 sheltered parts of the rockery. 



P. nivalis. — A beautiful Caucasian 

 species, with thiokish finely toothed leaves 

 1-6 in. long, smooth, and often powdery 

 beneath. Flowers in spring, lUac-purple, 

 about J in. across, 2-10 in an imabel on 

 glaucous scapes 8-18 in. high. 



The variety fa/ri/nosa has the under 

 sTttface of the leaves covered with a 

 whitish meal or powder ; longifoUa has 

 much longer and narrower leaves, mealy 

 beneath, and deep purple flowers ; and 

 turhestcmica has deep rosy flowers usually 

 arranged in two whorls. 



Culture dc. as above. Moist sandy 

 peat in the rockery or border. 



The plants often called nivalis and 

 nivea in gardens are really synonyms of 

 P. pubescens alba. 



P. obconica (P. poculiformis). — A 

 beautiful Chinese Primrose 6-12 in. high. 

 Leaves stalked, wrinkled, roundish heart- 

 shaped with obscure, toothed lobes, or 

 nearly entire. Flowers in spring and 

 summer, |-1 in. across, pale lilac or 

 purple, or nearly white, 12-20 in an 

 umbel at the top of the scape. Calyx Hke 

 an inverted cone, pale green. 



Culture amdPropagation. — This beau- 

 tiful plant is largely grown in pots for 

 conservatory decoration, and is remark- 

 able for the elegance and abundance of 

 its blossoms. It may however be grown 

 successfully in the open air in the border 

 or rockery, in rich sandy loam and leaf 

 soil, and in situations somewhat shaded 

 from the hot summer sun. It is probably 

 too tender to stand frosty winters un- 

 protected; seeds, however, are easily 

 raised m spring or autumn, and plants 

 from the later sowing may be wintered in 

 cold, dry, airy frames until May. 



Although Primula obconica has no 

 irritating effect on most people, there are 

 many, however, who suffer more or less 

 intensely from eczema or eruptions of the 

 skin after handling it. 



P. obovata. — Anatural hybrid between 

 P. Balbisi and P. tyrolensis. Leaves 

 obovate-obtuse, hairy, about 1 in. long, 

 finely serrate. Flowers in April and 

 May, pale rose or purple, several on a 

 stout scape. 



Culture dc. as above. Moist sandy 

 soil in the rockery. 



