212 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



P. prolifera, Wall. Leaves very large, obo vat e -spat hulate, not 

 petiolate. Flowers small, many, verticillate and yellow ; capsules 

 globose (allied to P. imperialis, but quite distinct). It is found in 

 marshes or on the banks of streams, at altitudes of 8,000 feet. 



P. reticulata, Wall. Leaves with a distinct petiole, bearing an 

 oblong cordate blade ; scape much elongated. Flowers relatively 

 small, yellow, Fruits globose. Found in marshy places. 



It will thus be seen that if the characters that separate P. purpurea 

 from P. Stuartii be not recognized, all the above species (except 

 perhaps P. reticulata, which does not belong to this section) would 

 very possibly have to be treated as varieties of one and the same 

 species. 



Professor Balfour writes me that they have had under cultivation 

 several of these species, and one plant raised in that garden I believe 

 must be accepted as a cross between P. Stuartii and P. sikkimensis. 

 The last mentioned (P. sikkimensis) , he tells me, is best grown as a 

 biennial, when it flowers and fruits profusely. It will live and flower 

 for several years, but for successful cultivation a short life is preferable. 

 It is a most profuse grower in the open air. 



Of P. obtusifolia the Professor writes that it is a fine hardy species, 

 but not very free ; perhaps we have not given it much attention. 

 This occurs in India on grassy hillsides, and where met with is exceed- 

 ingly plentiful. In Sikkim I found miles of country literally covered 

 with it, and its strong metallic smell was so overpowering that I 

 and most of my party got severe headaches. A little higher we came 

 on a yellow-flowered form of the same plant that had a delicate perfume. 



P. elongata was originally collected by Sir J. D. Hooker. It has 

 since been gathered by Jaffrey, Pantling, and others, at altitudes 

 of 11-13,000 feet. Sufficient material has thus come to light to 

 justify its separation from P. obtusifolia. It flowers in June and has 

 the leaves of sikkimensis, but with greatly elongated corolla tubes. 

 The flowers are very delicate, the petals thin, glabrous and veined. 



A plant that I take to be possibly a form of P. elongata was found 

 by me in Sikkim. It has large pendulous flesh-coloured flowers, the 

 petals being thick and woolly in texture. It has the most delicate 

 perfume of any plant I ever came across. It is not as yet named, is 

 but imperfectly represented in herbaria, and may prove a good new 

 species. 



P. Traillii has been mentioned by me already, but I may say a 

 few more words about it. I found it in Upper Kullu in 1894, at alti- 

 tudes of 15-17,000 feet. It was in flower and ripe fruit in October, 

 so I presume it has at least two flowering seasons — spring and autumn. 

 It was found under the shade of large rocks growing in a dry, soft, 

 powdery soil. The leaves were as much as twelve to eighteen inches 

 long, very like those of P. imperialis, but the flowers were pale blue. 

 I regard it as a perfectly good and new species, and have proposed 

 to name it in honour of the Rev. J. Traill of Jaipur. The seed I 

 collected of it was mixed with the only other Primula found in Kullu 



