THE FLORA OF NORTH-WESTERN YUNNAN. 



203 



perfection, both in the open and shade, during the coldest term of 

 the year. »Along the base of the range, the banks of every stream 

 and the margins of every marsh are brightened with the velvety 

 crimson flowers of P. Poissoni. On the lower slopes and in the gullies, 

 humus-covered rocks and ledges of shady cliffs are clothed with P. 

 sinolisteri and masses of the bright green foliage and delicate rose- 

 coloured blooms of P. membranijolia (fig. 70), whilst at a higher alti- 

 tude and in like situations is found an equally graceful rock species, 

 P. yunnanensis Fr. At 10,000 feet, in the shadier thickets the 

 beautiful P. septemloba Fr. is one of the commonest plants, while 

 1,000 or 1,500 feet higher, on the margins of pine forests, P. serrali- 

 folia Fr., with its pendulous, orange-lined, yellow blooms, is found. 



About the same altitude, on dry exposed rocks, is found the 

 beautiful new species of the Bullatae section, Primula coerulea. This 

 is one of the rarest species met with in the province. Here also, 

 on the dry rocky slopes, growing amongst limy grit at the base of 

 cliffs, is the most beautiful species, in my opinion, of all known Pri- 

 mulas, P. spicala Fr. None can compare with this species in airy 

 gracefulness or in rich colouring, the azure-blue flowers forming a 

 wonderful contrast to the silvery farina with which the plant is coated. 

 The scapes are so slender that they seem scarce able to bear the weight 

 of the relatively large flowers, which the slightest current of air sets 

 trembling and swaying, much in the manner of some of the 

 Campanulas. 



On the highest alps of all grow two of the most interesting species, 

 Primula bella Fr., which forms moss-like masses of minute crisped 

 foliage, studded over with large deep rose blooms borne on delicate 

 scapes only an inch in height ; and P. Delavayi Fr., the most southern 

 member of that curious group of which, as yet, only four species 

 are known to exist, the Omphalogramma section. P. Elwesiana is 

 the representative from the Himalayas ; the others, P. Franchetiana 

 and P. vincae flora, are found north of Tali, on the Mekong and Lichiang 

 ranges respectively. P. Delavayi is the least interesting and beauti- 

 ful of the three, but is unique in having the margins of the corolla 

 lobes heavily fringed. P. amethystina Fr. and P. brevifolia Forrest, 

 two lovely species of the Soldanelloid type, with deep purple-blue 

 flowers, are met with on the same meadows as the above. 



Two further excellent species of the same section, both showing 

 the beautiful contrast in colour seen in P. spicata, are natives of 

 the more southern portion of the range. These are P. nutans Fr. 

 and P. penduli flora Fr. ; both are in cultivation from seed secured 

 in 1913-1914. Besides all those lovely species of Primula, the 

 Tali range is the home of numberless plants of intense interest, both 

 botanical and horticultural. There Pere Delavay first discovered 

 Paeonia lutea, and, no doubt, the seed which produced the specimens 

 now in cultivation came from there, though, since that time, the 

 species has been found much further north. 



For horticulturists, however, the real wealth of the area is centred 



