Volume 1 — PLATE VII. PRIMULA CORTUSOIDES. Siberian Primrose.

CLASS V. ORDER I.

PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Five Chives. One Pointal.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx. Involucrum polyphyllum, multiflorium, minimum. Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, pentagonum, quinquedentatum, acutum, erectum, persistens.

Corolla. Monopetala. Tubus cylindraceus, longitudine calycis, terminatus colo parvo hemisphærico. Limbus patens, semi-quinquefidus; laciniis obcordatis, obtusis. Faux pervia.

Stamina. Filamenta quinque, brevissima, intra collum corollæ. Antheræ acumenatæ, erectæ, conniventes, inclusæ.

Pistillum. Germen globosum. Stylus filiformis, longitudine calycis. Stigma globosum.

Pericarpium. Capsula teres, longitudine fere perianthii, unilocularis, dehiscens apice decem dentato.

Semina numerosa, subrotunda. Receptaculum ovato-oblongum, liberum.

Empalement. Fence of many leaves, including several flowers, and small. Cup one leaf, tubular, five-sided, five-toothed, sharp, upright, and remaining.

Blossom. One petal. Tube cylindrical, the length of the cup, terminated by a short hemispherical neck. Border spreading, half cut into five divisions; the segments are inversely heart-shaped, and blunt. Mouth open.

Chives. Five threads, very short, within the neck of the blossom. Tips pointed, upright, approaching, within the tube.

Pointal. Seed-bud globular. Shaft thread-shaped, the length of the cup. Summit globular.

Seed-vessel. Capsule cylindrical, nearly as long as the cup, of one cell, opening at the top, with ten teeth.

Seeds numerous, and roundish. Receptacle oblong egg-shaped, and loose.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Primula, foliis petiolatis, cordatis, sub-lobatis, crenatis; corollis lætè purpureis.

Primrose, whose leaves have foot-stalks, are heart-shaped, slightly lobed, and scolloped; blossoms of a bright purple.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The Cup, and Fruit-stalk. 2. A Blossom cut open, to shew the situation of the Chives, and its internal formation. 3. The Seed-bud, Shaft, and Summit, (magnified).

This species of Primrose is figured by Gmelin, in his Flora Siberica. It was in the year 1794, that the seeds of this plant were sent by Professor P. Pallas, from Siberia, to Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, of Hammersmith; at whose nursery the drawing of this most charming plant was made: though a native of so cold a clime, it seems with difficulty to endure the severity of ours; thriving best in a pot, under any flight shelter, or a very dry situation if planted out: it is increased by the root, which should be parted in March; and flowers in June, and July.

PLATE 7