Primrose
Scientific name: Primula vulgaris Huds.
Diagnostic features
Plant with long shaggy hairs.
Leaves gradually tapered to base.
Flowers borne singly on pedicels to 12cm arising from leaf-rosette, or rarely in an umbel on a scape, c.2-4cm across, usually pale yellow, rarely white or reddish-pink.
Calyx ± uniformly pale green.
Chromosome number: 2n=22.
Habitat
Native; woods, hedgebanks and in damper areas in grassland, often on heavy soils.
Distribution
Throughout British Isles but rare or absent locally.
This species is keyed out on Page 3522 in the Text Key.
Hybrids
- Primula x digenea A. Kern. (= Primula vulgaris x Primula elatior) occurs frequently around the area of Primula elatior in East Anglia. It is intermediate in leaf, flower and pubescence characters; the flowers are normally borne in an umbel on a scape. It is fertile and hybrid swarms arise.
- Primula x murbeckii Lindq. (= Primula vulgaris x Primula elatior x Primula veris) occurs very rarely near Primula elatior in West Suffolk, both from wild parents and by pollination of wild Primula elatior by garden (sometimes purple-flowered) Primula x polyantha.
- Primula x polyantha Mill. (= Primula vulgaris x Primula veris) (Synonyms: Primulax tommasinii Gren. & Godr., Primula x variabilis Goupil non Bastard) occurs sporadically where the parents meet over most of British Isles, often in scrubby areas. It is intermediate in leaf, flower and pubescence characters; the flowers are normally borne in an umbel on a scape. It is partially fertile but backcrossing and introgression are rare. The garden Polyanthus is probably of this origin, and occasionally this escapes from cultivation or persists where planted; such plants may vary considerably in flower colour, from white to orange, purple or mauve. This hybrid, Primula elatior, and plants of Primula vulgaris with a scape are often confused; careful attention to leaves, flowers and pubescence is needed to avoid this. |
