PRIMULA CONFERENCE. 



159 



If Pax had emphasized farther the differences he brought out and 

 separated in a dehnite section P. Stuartii, Wall., and its near ally 

 P. sikkimensis, Hook, hi, from the series of P. nivalis, Pallas, his 

 grouping would have been more natural. The section Ni vales as 

 instituted by Pax seems to me to include three phyla, and from this 

 point of view I propose to deal with the Chinese species he mentions 

 and others which come into the alliance making the three sections 

 — Sikkimensis, Nivalis, Maximowiczii. 



Section Sikkimensis. 



Every gardener knows P. sikkimensis, Hook, fil., with its clusters of 

 long toothed leaves and tall scapes bearing each an umbel of many 

 gracefully drooping yellow fragrant flowers, coated more or less with 

 white meal from which come narrow cylindric fruits projecting far 

 beyond the calyx. By the pond or in openings in a wood it grows freely, 

 requiring no attention, although it, like other Eastern Primulas, re- 

 sponds to treatment as a triennial. It is the type of the section and 

 was introduced to cultivation in 1851 from Kew, the seed being sent 

 by Sir Joseph Hooker. It is recorded as a Chinese plant, but I am 

 not yet satisfied that it is so. But the section is represented in China 

 in two plants recalling true P. sikkimensis, Wall., but with shorter and 

 in one case broader leaves and larger flowers — these are P. pseudo- 

 slkkimensis, G. Forrest, and P. microdonta, Petitm. Both are in culti- 

 vation, introduced by Bees, Ltd., in 1908 through seed collected by 

 Forrest. Another fine species is P. orbicularis, Hemsley. Introduced 

 by Messrs. Veitch in 1906, seed having been obtained from Wilson, 

 the plant died out after flowering, Sir Harry Veitch informs me. 

 P. tsetzouenensis, Petitm., may also be placed for the present in this 

 section. Its foliage differs from what is usual, for the leaves are 

 petiolate after the fashion of those in species of Pax's section 

 Cordifolia with which it may hereafter have to be grouped. With 

 some doubt I include also P. reflexa, Petitm. 



Whilst yellow is the only colour in the flowers of Himalayan 

 members as yet known, in China we have purple flowers also, and in 

 two charming species — P. secundiflora, Franch., and P. vittata, Franch. 

 P. vittata, Franch., is in cultivation, introduced in 1905 by Messrs. 

 Veitch from seed collected by Wilson. Its drooping pink-purple 

 flowers, the calyx banded with White meal, make it an acquisition, 

 and it is hardy. P. secundiflora, Franch., is also in cultivation, intro- 

 duced by Bees, Ltd., in 1908 from Forrest's seeds. It is so like 

 P. vittata, Franch., that the two plants may easily be confused, but 

 P. secundiflora, Franch., has oblong elliptic leaves horizontal in a 

 rosette. P. vittata, Franch., has elongated erect leaves. The rela- 

 tion is somewhat that which we find between P. Poissoni, Franch., 

 and P. Wilsoni, Dunn. Given perfect typical plants, mistake in 

 identification is impossible, but there are stages where diagnosis is 

 not easy. 



