Primula Explained

Primula [1] is a genus of herbaceous[2] flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. They include the primrose (P. vulgaris), a familiar wildflower of banks and verges. Other common species are P. auricula (auricula), P. veris (cowslip), and P. elatior (oxlip). These species and many others are valued for their ornamental flowers. They have been extensively cultivated and hybridised (in the case of the primrose, for many hundreds of years). Primula are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, south into tropical mountains in Ethiopia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, and in temperate southern South America. Almost half of the known species are from the Himalayas.[2]

Primula has over 500 species in traditional treatments, and more if certain related genera are included within its circumscription.[3]

Description

Primula is a complex and varied genus, with a range of habitats from alpine slopes to boggy meadows. Plants bloom mostly during the spring, with flowers often appearing in spherical umbels on stout stems arising from basal rosettes of leaves; their flowers can be purple, yellow, red, pink, blue, or white. Some species show a white mealy bloom (farina) on various parts of the plant.[2] Many species are adapted to alpine climates.

Taxonomy

Primula was known at least as early as the mediaeval herbalists, although first formally described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753, and later in 1754 in his Flora Anglica. Linnaeus described seven species of Primula. One of its earliest scientific treatments was that of Charles Darwin study of heterostyly in 1877 (The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species). Since then, heterostyly (and homostyly) have remained important considerations in the taxonomic classification of Primula. Primula is a member of the Primulaceae family. The most complete treatment of the family, with nearly 1000 species arranged into 22 genera, was by Pax and Knuth in 1905.

Phylogeny

Primula is the largest genus in the family Primulaceae, within which it is placed in the subfamily Primuloideae, being the nominative genus.

The position of Primula within the family and its relationship to other genera is shown in this cladogram:

Classification

The genus Dodecatheon originated from within Primula, its species are now included in Primula.[4]

Sections of genus Primula

The classification of the genus Primula has been investigated by botanists for over a century. As the genus is both large and diverse (with about 430–500 species), botanists have organized the species in various sub-generic groups. The most common is division into a series of thirty sections.[5] [6] Some of these sections (e.g. Vernales, Auricula) contain many species; others contain only one.

Selected species

See main article: List of ''Primula'' species. Species include:[7] [8] [9]

Etymology

The word primula is the Latin feminine diminutive of primus, meaning first (prime), applied to flowers that are among the first to open in spring.[23]

Distribution and habitat

Although there are over 400 species of Primula, about 75% are found in the eastern Himalayan mountain chain and western China (Yunnan Province), constituting a centre of diversity. Other centres of diversity are a western Asian centre (Caucasus, European mountain ranges from the Pyrenees, through the Alps to the Carpathian Mountains), mountains of East Asia and those of western North America. Primula is found in mountainous or higher latitude zones of North America, Europe, and Asia, with extension into South America, Africa (mountains of Ethiopia) and tropical Asia (islands of Java and Sumatra). About 25 species occur in North America (represented in five sections).

Primula is found in the humid and moderate climate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, predominantly in the forest belt, plain meadows, Alpine lawns, and nival and meadow tundras.

Ecology

Primulas are used as a food plant by the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.[24]

Cultivation

Primula species have been extensively cultivated and hybridised, mainly derived from P. elatior, P. juliae, P. veris and P. vulgaris. Polyanthus (Primula × polyantha) is one such group of plants, which has produced a large variety of strains in all colours, usually grown as annuals or biennials and available as seeds or young plants.[25]

Another huge range of cultivars, known as auriculas, are derived from crosses between P. auricula and P. hirsuta (among others). Specialist nurseries and auricula societies[26] support the growing and showing of these choice strains.

AGM cultivars

The following hybrid varieties and cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[27]

Hybrids

References

[42]

Bibliography

Species

External links

[43] [44] [45]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sunset Western Garden Book . 1995 . 606–07.
  2. Encyclopedia: RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants . 2008 . . United Kingdom . 978-1405332965 . 1136.
  3. Web site: Primula in Flora of North America @ efloras.org. 2023-02-19. www.efloras.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20131013152553/http://efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=126719. October 13, 2013.
  4. Web site: Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and Surrounding Areas . Weakley, A. S. . 2008 . 2009-06-08 . 2018-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181006082209/http://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm . live . UNC Herbarium, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  5. Book: Ingwersen, Will . Ingwersen's Manual of Alpine Plants . 1986 . 1978 . Timber Press . Portland . 978-0-88192-026-0.
  6. Book: Green, Roy . Asiatic Primulas . 1986 . 1976 . Alpine Garden Society . Woking, Surrey, UK.
  7. Web site: Primula. 2023-02-19. www.efloras.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015020926/http://efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=2&start_taxon_id=126719 . October 15, 2013.
  8. Web site: Primula. 2023-02-19. www.efloras.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20131013224727/http://efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=1&start_taxon_id=126719 . October 13, 2013.
  9. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?9834 GRIN Species Records of Primula.
  10. Basak, S. K. and G. G. Maiti. 2000. Primula arunachalensis sp. nov. (Primulaceae) from the Eastern Himalaya. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 51(1) 11-15.
  11. Ming, H. C. and G. Y. Ying. (2003). Two new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from China. Novon 13 196-199.
  12. Xun, G. and F. Rhui-cheng. (2003). Primula calyptrata, a new species in section Carolinella (Primulaceae) from Yunnan, China. Novon 13 193-95.
  13. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 24 June 2010 . 2018-11-15.
  14. Hu. C. M.. Hao. G.. New and Noteworthy Species of Primula (Primulaceae) from China . June 2011. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. en. 68. 2. 297–300. 10.1017/S096042861100014X. 1474-0036. free.
  15. Li, R. and C. M. Hu. (2009). Primula lihengiana (Primulaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China. Annales Botanici Fennici 46(2) 130-32
  16. 10.1111/j.1467-8748.2012.01768.x . 726. Primula Melanantha . Curtis's Botanical Magazine . 29 . 18–33 . 2012 . Rankin . David W. H..
  17. 10.1111/j.1355-4905.2005.00477.x . 529. Primula Moupinensis. Primulaceae . Curtis's Botanical Magazine . 22 . 2 . 119–123 . 2005 . Rix . Martyn.
  18. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 10 September 2008 . 2018-11-15.
  19. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 23 June 2010 . 2018-11-15.
  20. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 13 January 2011 . 2018-11-15.
  21. New Taxa and Combinations in Chinese Primulaceae. 2023-02-19. H. . Chi-Ming . Novon . 1994 . 103–105 . 4 . 2. 10.2307/3391576 . 3391576 .
  22. http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/Primula-verticillata.htm Primula verticillata (yellow primrose).
  23. Book: Coombes, Allen J. . The A to Z of Plant Names . 2012 . Timber Press . USA . 9781604691962 . 242 . registration .
  24. Web site: UK Butterflies - Larval Foodplants . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170501005458/http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/foodplants.php . 2017-05-01 . 2017-04-24.
  25. Book: Reader's Digest Encyclopedia of Garden Plants & Flowers, 2nd edition . 1978 . Reader's Digest Association . United Kingdom.
  26. Web site: Welcome to The National Auricula & Primula Society: Midland & West Section . National Auricula Society . 18 February 2021 . 26 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210126144932/http://www.auriculaandprimula.org.uk/ . live .
  27. Web site: AGM Plants - Ornamental . July 2017 . 81 . Royal Horticultural Society . 14 May 2018 . 5 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180412/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf . live .
  28. Web site: Primula 'Broadwell Milkmaid' . RHS . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141518/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/131936/primula-broadwell-milkmaid-(au)/details . live .
  29. Web site: Primula 'Charisma Series' . RHS . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141451/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/176795/primula-charisma-series-(pr-prim)/details . live .
  30. Web site: Primula 'Clarence Elliott' . RHS . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141523/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/58003/primula-clarence-elliott-(au)/details . live .
  31. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula 'Crescendo Blue Shades' . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141504/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/124251/primula-crescendo-blue-shades-(crescendo-series)-(pr-poly)/details . live .
  32. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula 'Crescendo Bright Red' . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141534/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/124252/primula-crescendo-bright-red-(crescendo-series)-(pr-poly)/details . live .
  33. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula 'Crescendo Pink and Rose Shades' . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141505/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/124254/primula-crescendo-pink-and-rose-shades-(crescendo-series)-(pr-poly)/details . live .
  34. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula Danova Series . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141511/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/176796/primula-danova-series-(pr-prim)/details . live .
  35. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula 'Danova Rose' . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141536/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/104927/primula-danova-rose-(danova-series)-(pr-prim)/details . live .
  36. Web site: Primula 'Francisca' . RHS . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141518/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/166302/primula-francisca-(pr-poly)/details . live .
  37. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula 'Guinevere' . 17 February 2021 . 7 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210707052658/https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/97804/Primula-Guinevere-(Pr-Poly)/Details . live .
  38. Web site: Primula × loiseleurii 'Aire Mist' . RHS . 17 February 2021.
  39. Web site: Primula × pubescens . RHS . 17 February 2021 . 13 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220413141524/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/93544/primula-x-pubescens-(au)/details . live .
  40. Web site: Primula 'Tony' . RHS . 17 February 2021.
  41. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Primula 'Wanda' . 17 February 2021 . 27 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201127181028/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/90583/Primula-Wanda-(Pr-Prim)/Details . live .
  42. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299247893_Evolution_and_conservation_of_Sinai's_primrose_Primula_boveana_an_endangered_pre-glacial_relict_species_growing_on_Sinai_Mountain_Egypt, Moustafa, Abdelraouf & Mauricio, R & Mansour, Hassan (2016).
  43. https://www.mutagens.co.in/jgb/vol.09/12/091204.pdf, CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSE EXTINCTION FOR Primula boveana FROM ITS NATURAL HABITATS IN SOUTH SINAI, EGYPT.Moustafa, A., & Mansour, S. (2020)
  44. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299247893_Evolution_and_conservation_of_Sinai's_primrose_Primula_boveana_an_endangered_pre-glacial_relict_species_growing_on_Sinai_Mountain_Egypt. Moustafa, A. A., Zaghloul, M.S., Mauricio, R., and Mansour, H. M. H. (2016).
  45. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281438454_Characteristics_of_two_endemic_and_endangered_species_Primula_boveana_and_Kickxia_macilenta_growing_in_south_Sinai. Moustafa, A. A., Ramadan, A. A., Zaghloulol, M.S., & Helmy, M. A., (2001).

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Primula".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.