PRIMULA CONFERENCE. 



139 



P. angustidens, (Franch.) Pax. 

 P. japonica var. angusiidens, Franch. 

 P. yargongensis, Petitm. (Group Glacialis.) W. Szechwan : Batang, 

 Yaragong. 



P. yunnanensis, Franch. (Sect. Yunnanensis.) Yunnan : Tali region. 



Cult. Introd. 1908, Bees, Ltd. Coll. Forrest. 

 P. zambalensis, Petitm. (Group Glacialis.) W. Szechwan : Batang. 



In writing of the species in their several sections and groups I follow 

 generally, for convenience of comparison, the sequence adopted by Pax. 

 The first section he mentions is Sinensis — a fitting one with which to 

 begin an account of Chinese species. It is a large one, bringing together 

 forms with revolute, petiolate, more or less hairy leaves having rounded 

 often lobed blades, and large flowers, of which the calyx gives definite 

 character for diagnosis. But Sinensis is really an aggregate, and for 

 our purpose in relation to Horticulture it is convenient to segregate 

 the species in smaller groups which are phyletic sections. The sections 

 are : Auganthus, Filchnerae, Cortusoides, Obconico-Listeri, 

 Geranioides, Pycnoloba, Mollis, Malvacea. 



Section Auganthus. 



Primula sinensis, Lindl., is a unique plant in the genus — so much 

 so that thrice in botanical history it has been made the type of a genus 

 distinct from Primula under the respective names Auganthus (Link), 

 Oscaria (Lilja), Primulidium (Spach). Pax placed it, but with reserva- 

 tions, in his section Sinensis, expressing a preference for separating 

 it in a section by itself, taking Link's generic name for it. I have 

 followed his preference. The inflated calyx is its dominant feature. 

 The plant has been in cultivation since 1820, and of its history and 

 the marvellous developments it has undergone alike in flower and 

 foliage I do not require to write. Has this not all been told in the 

 pages of the Society's Journal by Mr. Arthur Sutton,* whose firm 

 has had so large a share in bringing about the evolution ? — and the 

 progress that has been made since the date of his paper is on lines fore- 

 shadowed then. Nor shall I dwell upon its foliage as a favourite subject 

 for demonstration of transmission of characters in consonance with 

 Mendelian rules. I will only say that so long ago as 1876 Regel 

 raised the question — Has the fern-leaved form of the species known 

 as P. sinensis filici folia taken origin in nature or in cultivation ? So 

 far as I know, the form has not been found in the wild state, and 

 indeed in nature P. sinensis, Lindl., is wonderfully stable, and its 

 area of spread in China is limited to the hills about Ichang. When 

 writing of P. obconica I shall refer to this again. Whilst copious leaf- 

 segmentation is unknown in wild P. sinensis, Lindl., it is a character 



R.H.S. Journal, Vol. xiii., p. 99. 



