PRIMULA CONFERENCE. 



177 



1873 there is no certain evidence, but the plant introduced from Japan 

 in 1861 by Messrs. Veitch, through their collector, Mr. J. G. Veitch, 

 under the name P. cortusoides, Linn., was this plant P. Sieboldii, E. 

 Morren, and our gardens owe the plant to them. At that time and 

 for long after — even to the present day — P. Sieboldii, E. Morren, 

 issued from Japan under the name P. cortusoides, Linn. (See what I say 

 about the Cortusoides section on pages 140 and 176.) Of P. klsoana, 

 Miq., Mr. Takeda tells that it has been a garden plant in Japan 

 for over two hundred years and has flowers of a deep rose colour. 

 We may wonder how it has happened the plant has not come to our 

 gardens in Europe. Seeds which I collected in Japan in 1910 did 

 not germinate. Through Mr. Takeda I hope this and other Japanese 

 species may be introduced. 



Japanese Primulas of the Cortusoides Section. 



P. kisoana, Miq. 



P. Sieboldii, E. Morren (fig. 81) 



Section Geranioides. 

 In this section comes P. jesoana, Miq., which is to be regarded as 

 the eastern extension of the sylvestral species of western China of 

 which I have already spoken. This Japanese species shows the 

 characteristic leaf and flower features of the section, and is perhaps 

 dwarfer than the Chinese forms. It is not yet in cultivation, and is 

 not particularly attractive according to Mr. Takeda. 



Japanese Species of the Geranioides Section. 

 P. jesoana, Miq. 



Section Reinii. 

 The section Fall aces of Pax includes four of the Japanese species, 

 but is not, as Mr. Takeda shows, a natural one. Of the species 

 included in it, P. kisoana, Miq., finds its allies in the Cortusoides series 

 as has been stated ; P. jesoana, Miq., is as undoubtedly one of the 

 Geranioides ; the remaining two — P. Reinii, Franch. et Sav., and 

 P. tosaensis, Yatabe — form a distinct group with petiolate rounded 

 leaves, small calyces, and cylindric capsules protruding far beyond 

 the calyx. P. Reinii, Franch. et Sav., is now in cultivation. I do not 

 know the history of its introduction. At Edinburgh we received it 

 some years ago through the Yokohama Nursery Company, and 

 possibly it is through this firm that the plant has come to Europe. It 

 is a delightful little plant, with large flowers for its size, and seems to 

 have no special needs in cultivation. Of its hardiness in this country 

 I have no record. P. tosaensis, Yatabe, comes from a region in Japan 

 which forbids expectation that it will be hardy in Britain if it be 

 introduced. 



Japanese Species of the Reinii Section. 

 P. Reinii, Franch. et Sav. (fig. 84) 

 P. tosaensis, Yatabe 



"VOL. XXXIX. N 



