OBSERVATIONS ON INDIAN PRIMULAS. 



213 



during that expedition, namely P. involucrata, on account of the 

 necessity that existed to economize my collecting materials. On the 

 mixed seed reaching Europe it was found that only P. involucrata 

 germinated, and this got talked of as P. Traillii — thus a laugh was 

 turned against me. The botanical specimens that I brought away 

 with me show, however, that I was unfortunate in my seed, but that 

 the plant was a genuine find, and one which cultivators will much 

 appreciate when it is ultimately successfully introduced.* 



Its nearest Indian affinity is with P. prolifera, a species found in 

 the Khasia and Naga hills at much lower altitudes (8,000 feet), growing 

 in damp places and producing yellow flowers. But it is much closer 

 to P. japonica, except that in that species the flowers are much larger 

 and dark purple. 



P. prolifera is a delightful low-level species, frequenting water- 

 courses. It has been collected in Sikkim at 12,000 feet. Has been 

 long known to be found in the Khasia hills at 4-6,000 feet, but in 1897 

 I extended its area to the Naga hills (altitude 7,500 feet). The plant 

 collected by Griffith in Bhutan I believe to be distinct, and closer to 

 P. imperialis than P. prolifera. 



P. Tanneri, King, was another find of mine in Sikkim, which had 

 been collected previously, but confused with P. obtusifolia var. 

 Griffithii. It is a good species found in Rhododendron glades and 

 possessed of very beautiful pale lavender-coloured flowers. 



P. Kingii, Watt, is a lovely plant met with in Sikkim. It has 

 leaves shaped as in some forms of P. purpurea, only smaller, thicker, 

 and almost leathery in texture. Flowers usually pendent, and of 

 such a dark claret colour that they are almost black. This species, 

 I believe, would be much admired were it introduced into cultivation. 

 I found it in full flower at 14,000 feet, and most collectors have done 

 the same, the result being that we have not as yet got the seed. It 

 has been collected in Tibet by Hobson. P. Gammieana, King, I believe 

 to be at most a variety of this species, and still another allied form, 

 P. amethystina, Franch., has come from Yunnan. 



P. Elwesiana, King, is perhaps the most striking Primula of Sikkim. 

 It occurs at altitudes of 12,000 feet. It has large, solitary, deflexed 

 flowers, borne on much-elongated, thickened, and pilose peduncles, 

 destitute of bracts. It is the representative of a Chinese group of 

 great beauty, of which P. vinci flora and P. Delavayi of Franchet are 

 superb examples. These have recently been procured from the 

 mountains of Yunnan, and may yet with further study be found to 

 constitute a sub-genus. They recall in some respects Bryocarpum. 



Perhaps the best -known cultivated example of a Primrose belonging 

 to this section would be P. nivalis, Pall., especially the var. turkestanica. 

 It is found in Turkestan and Persia, and thus keeps up the character 



* [Mr. G. F. Wilson grew the plant in question at Wisley and described it in 

 Gard. Chron. xxii. (1897), P- 26 3> under the name P. Trailii. The figure given 

 there leaves no doubt that P. involucrata, which still flourishes at Wisley, was 

 the plant referred to under the new name. — Ed.] 



