Primula macrophylla D. Don

Represented in Pakistan by 2 varieties.

A stout perennial with a short rootstock. Leaves 3-29 x 0:4-4.5 cm, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate, ± firm, entire, denticulate to finely crenulate, farinose or efarinose; the farina white, rarely yellow, distributed uniformly on the under surface, apex acute to obtuse, midrib impressed on the upper surface. Petiole broad sheathed. Scape up to 32 cm long, (2-) 8-60 (-65) flowered, fairly stout. Bracts 7-20 mm long, exceeding the calyx length or not, broad lanceolate to lanceolate, acute to obtusish, puberulous (especially on the margin), blackish or not. Pedicel 1.5-4 cm long, exceeding the bracts, puberulous or glabrous. Flowers heteromorphic, purple, pink-purple, violet or lilac. Calyx up to 12 mm long, subcylindric, often tinged black (in the dried state), lobes lanceolate, 4.5-5(-6) mm long, up to 8 mm in fruit, longer than or equalling the tube, puberulous. Corolla tube 9-12 mm long, exceeding the calyx; limb 1.5-1.8 cm broad, lobes obtuse or bibbed, 6-10 mm broad, entire. Ovary globose to slightly depressed, 2.5-3 mm broad, style 8-9 mm long (in thrum-eyed flowers c.3 mm). Capsule 12-17 mm long, broad cylindric, usually much exceeding the calyx. Seeds c.l mm long, angular, papillose.

Herbs perennial, with a long stock formed by overlapping petioles and basal bud scales, with fibrous remains of leaves at base. Leaves forming a rosette; petiole broadly winged, portion exserted from basal bud scales very short to nearly as long as leaf blade; leaf blade lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4--25 X 0.5--4.5 cm, abaxially farinose, base cuneate-attenuate, margin entire to denticulate, usually narrowly revolute, apex acute to obtuse. Scape 10--25 cm, farinose toward apex; umbels 5- to many flowered; bracts lanceolate, 1--3.5 cm. Pedicel 1--3 cm, ± farinose. Flowers heterostylous. Calyx tubular, 0.8--1.5 cm, parted slightly below middle or to 3/4; lobes lanceolate to oblong, usually stained with purple outside, white farinose inside, apex acute to subobtuse. Corolla violet to purple; limb ca. 2 cm wide; lobes suborbicular to obovate, margin entire to emarginate. Pin flowers: corolla tube slightly longer than calyx; stamens ca. 4 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. as long as calyx. Thrum flowers: corolla tube ca. 1.5 X as long as calyx; stamens at upper 1/3 of corolla tube; style ca. 1/2 as long as calyx. Capsule cylindric, 1--1.3 cm, ca. 2 X as long as calyx. 2n = 22.

Plant 10-15 cm. Leaves narrowly lanceolate 5-10 cm x 1-2 cm, tapering to a short petiole, non-pubescent or white-farinose. Scapes 10-15 (25) cm. Flowers large, pink, in globose umbels. Leaves persist throughout the year. Fl - June. Fr - July. P - by seed or rhizome division. Requires a sunny site or a semi shaded position, moist soil, but not stagnant water. Well suited to the rock garden. Z 5 (4). New.

SW Xinjiang, Xizang [Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim]

Central Asia (Pamiro Alay), Afghanistan and northern India. In alpine meadows, in moist places.

Grassy mountain slopes, in rock crevices, wet meadows, marshes; 4000--5200 m.