28 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



Parry's Primrose (P. Parryi). — Found 

 in the alpine regions of the Rocky Mountains. 

 Oval-oblong leaves, upright and almost spiny, 

 narrowing to a broad stem ; large flowers in 

 clusters of bright crimson, during May and 

 June. It is of difficult growth where the 

 air is dry, needing a moist, spongy soil (well 

 drained) and full sunlight. 



Poisson's Primrose (P. Poissoni). — A ten- 

 der species from Yunnan, and related to the 

 Japanese Primrose but with crisped greyish 

 leaves and large flowers of rosy-lilac in irregular 

 tiers ; protection in winter. 



Netted Primrose (P. reticulata). — Akin 

 to the Sikkim Cowslip (P. sikkimensis) but 

 known by its leaves, heart-shaped at their base, 

 its upright flowers, and minor botanical de- 

 tails. Eastern and central Himalayan region, 

 flowering from May to August. 



Rosy Primrose (P. rosea). — A species of 

 the western Himalayas, with leaves like those 

 of the Common Primrose but smooth, and 

 bright rosy flowers in March and April; there 

 is a large flowered form, and one of deep colour 

 known as splendens. 



Scotch Bird's-eye Primrose (P. scotica). 

 — Though classed with the common Bird's- 

 eye this is a beautiful little plant, distinct in 

 the rounded divisions of the calyx (triangular 

 in farinosa), its finely-dented leaves, and its 

 flowers of dark purple upon a very short stem 

 in April and May. 



Siberian Primrose {P .sibirica). — A plant 

 of Northern Asia, akin to the creamy-flowered 

 Primrose (involucrata), bearing in spring small 

 clusters (three to five) of rosy flowers, encircled 

 by long bracts. 



Sikkim Cowslip (P. sikkimensis). — Found 

 in the Himalayas atfrom 1 2,000 to 1 5,000 feet, 

 extending thence into Southern China. Leaves 

 long and ridged, waveduponthe margin ; droop- 

 ing flowers of pale yellow from May to July, 

 in large clusters of as many as fifty or sixty, 

 carried upon a stem of from 1 to 2 feet high. 

 This plant is of fine effect beside streams. 



Arctic Bird's-eye Primrose (P. stricta). 

 — A tiny plant of northern and Arctic regions, 

 related to the Common Bird's-eye, but differ- 

 ing in its shorter flower-stem, its leaves un- 

 powdered beneath, and in the very slightly 

 divided corolla of pale rose'. 



Section III. Plants needing Peat or 



Special Culture. — Round-headed Hima- 

 layan Primrose (P. capitata). — A species of 

 the heights of Sikkim and Bhotan, at from 

 12,000 to 15,000 feet. It is a beautiful plant 

 with finely-dented leaves of narrow-oval form, 

 covered on both sides but more denselybeneath, 

 with a pale, yellowish powder, extending also 

 to all parts of the flower-stalk and the base of 

 the flowers. These are numerous, of deep violet- 

 blue, borne in a dense, rounded head upon a 

 stout stalk of 6 to 9 inches. This fine kind is 

 rare in gardens, where such species as denticu- 

 lata and cashmeriana often bear its name. It 

 flowers from June to November, growing in 

 peaty soil free from lime, and in half-shade ; it 

 may be well grown in pots under cold frames. 



Large-leaved Primrose (P. megascefolia) . 

 - — A beautiful plant from Laghistan and the re- 

 gion of the Black Sea, which though described 

 as long ago as 1 866 has only been in cultivation 

 for about three years. Its introduction is due 

 to the botanist-collector, Sprenger, who sent it 

 to the Jardin d' Acclimatation of Geneva, from 

 whence it found its way to England, being first 

 grown by Miss Willmott, at Warley Place, 

 where our artist's drawing was made. It was 

 shown before the Royal Horticultural Society 

 in March, 1901, and received an award of 

 merit. For gardens it is a plant of value, with 

 bold handsome leaves of dark green, thick and 

 leathery, strongly ribbed, and often of a rich 

 red-brown colour. The large flowers of rosy- 

 lilac, either dark or light, are an inch across, and 

 their colour finely contrasted with the bright 

 orange of the tube ; they are carried in clusters 

 of variable size, showing five to fifteen or even 

 more blossoms, upon a stout stem of 9 to 18 

 inches in height. At Geneva it is in flower 

 from September or October throughout the 

 winter, and as late as March or April of the 

 following spring. It thrives in alight peaty soil 

 free from lime in any form, doing best in half- 

 shade ; its seeds are very slow and uncertain in 

 germination. In England, to do well, it must be 

 flowered under glass, but its freedom and long 

 season of flower make it a plant of value for the 

 conservatory during winter. 



Velvet Primrose (P. mollis). — A rare 

 plant from the mountains of Bhotan and ofsimi- 

 lar culture to the last-named,with large velvety 

 leaves and small flowers of deep rose with a red 

 I tube and dark eye, carried in somewhat irregu- 



