Plate 55. 
CARMINE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 
Primula jorcenitens, var . carminata. 
The double-flowered form of Chinese Primrose represented 
in one of our early Plates (2), was a great acquisition to this 
family of plants, which is particularly useful for the winter and 
spring decoration of greenhouses. We have now to notice the 
very welcome addition of a new colour, which, while very plea¬ 
sing and ornamental in itself, will probably become the parent 
of other choice and interesting forms. The accompanying figure 
was taken in the garden of the Royal Horticultural Society. 
We believe the gardening world is indebted for this very pretty 
novelty to Mr. Benary, of Erfurt, by whom the seeds were sent 
to Chiswick, under the name of carminata splendens. The plant, 
under the management of Mr. Eyles, proved to be exactly like 
the vigorous forms of the fringed Chinese Primrose in general 
character, producing bold trusses of large-sized flowers, prettily 
fringed around the margin, but having, instead of the rose-co¬ 
loured tints of the ordinary forms (shown in figure 3, which is 
introduced for contrast), a very distinct-looking and pleasing 
salmon-rose, or pale carmine colour. The variety is one which 
is well worthy of general cultivation as an ornamental plant, 
possessing the great merits of distinctness and attractiveness. 
The other variety represented in our Plate, called striata , 
was grown by Mr. Smith, of Lorrimore Road, Walworth, and is 
a pretty form, indicative of the sportiveness of Chinese Prim¬ 
roses, and with the preceding giving promise of a series of in¬ 
teresting novelties. 
Plate 55.—Primula pr^enitens (sinensis) varieties:— 
Fig. 1. carminata: flowers large, salmon-red, the margins fringed. 
Fig. 2. striata : flowers white, sparingly flaked and flecked with rose- 
purple, the margins unequally toothed. 
