PENTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Primula. 287 
(Var. 1. E. violaceum. Violet-flowered. With. Ed. S and 4. E.) 
Whole plant smaller, more slender, weak, and hairy, than E. vulgar e, but 
the hairs softer, some of them rising from tubercles. The tubercles 
hardly, if at all, * discernible on the leaves ; though they are on the stem, 
where they are intermixed with short hairs not rising from tubercles. 
Calyx very unequal. Blossom unequal, smaller than those of E. vulgare, 
deep blue. Stamens always within, or just even with, the blossom. 
Woodw. 
Banks and corn-fields. Near Norwich. Woodward. Aug. 
(Var. 2. Flore albo. White-flowered. On the south-west point of Box Hill, 
Surry. Mr. Winch. Very dwarfish and with white flowers at Duncansby, 
Caithness. Hooker. 
An extremely elegant variety, with flowers of a delicate pinkish hue, has 
been communicated to us from Little Hampton, on the Sussex coast, as 
E. Italicum ; which latter, however, has blossoms invariably white, and 
has probably never been found in Britain, unless indeed, casually, on Sun- 
land Ballast Hills, as reported by Mr. Winch. E.) 
PRI'MULA.* Bloss. salver-shaped, tube cylindrical; mouth 
open: Caps, one-celled, cylindrical, many-seeded, open¬ 
ing with ten teeth: Summit globular. 
P. vulgaris. Leaves wrinkled toothed: (stalk single-flowered. E.): 
border of the blossom flat. 
Curt. — Sheld. 11— FI. Dan. 194— E. Bot. 4— Wale. — Blackw. 52 — Clus. i. 
302. 1 —Dod. 147. 3—Lob. Obs. SOS. 4,—Ger. Em. 781. 5—Park. 535. 1 
—H. Ox. v. 24. 8 and 9— Park. Par. 243. 1— Col. Phytob. 6. 1. 
Common stalk, exceedingly short, and concealed beneath the surface of the 
ground, so that the stems which support the flowers are only elongated 
little fruit-stalks. Linn. This is sometimes, but not always the case. 
vipers and mad dogs, particulars of which may be found in Month. Mag. vol. 29, p. 414. 
The showy blossoms are extremely attractive to bees, 
“ Flying solicitous from flower to flower 
even though their delicate wings are frequently torn by the bristly hairs which would seem 
to defy the little plunderers. The irresistible instinct by which innumerable small animals 
are impelled to toil or recreate on the different species of plants would alone seem to 
bespeak an importance in the object of their exertions, beyond the immediate supply of 
their own necessities. Accordingly, we find that thus is secured the winter store essential 
to the existence of their race, and that the same operation likewise conduces to the service 
of man ; and not only so, but that in some peculiar instances, (more particularly described 
elsewhere), the propagation of the plant itself appears to be entrusted to these humble 
artificers. On this subject, generally, it is well observed in the Journal of a Naturalist, 
that “ The various provisions which have been devised for the dispersion of seeds, and 
introducing them into proper situations for germination, are not the least admirable portion 
of the wonderful scheme of creation. Every class of beings appears appointed by collateral 
means to promote these designs; man, beasts, birds, and reptiles j and, for aught we 
know, the very fishes, by consuming, propagate the algae in the depths of the ocean. 
Even insects, by the fecundation of plants, perform an office equivalent to dissemination ; 
and the multiplied contrivances of hooks, awns, wings, &c, and the elastic and bygrome- 
tric powers with which seeds are furnished, manifest what infinite provision has been made 
for the dispersion of seeds, and successive production of the whole vegetable race.” p. 
128. E.) 
t (Diminutive of primus, first, or early, in the Spring. Hence also Prime-rose. E.) 
