XVII.—The Genus Primula: Sections Obconica, Sinenses, Reinii, Pinnatae, Malacoides, Bullatae, Carolinella, Grandis, and Denticulata

Abstract

When Pax (1) in 1889 constituted his section Sinenses, he was well aware that it contained at least three distinct groups, each of which could with good reason be regarded as separate sections. Of these the one which he designated Poculiformia is the equivalent of Obconica. This group Poculiformia (while sharing in the general definition of Sinenses) he marked off by the beaker-shaped calyx which is generally accrescent after anthesis. In his view the group comes nearer to group Cortusina ( i.e. section Cortusoides) than to the more isolated Auganthus ( i.e. Sinenses sensu restricto), which may quite well be the case. In its turn the group Cortusina is to be distinguished from Poculiformia by the character of its calyx—a tubular or cylindrical structure. Of the species quoted by Pax as within Poculiformia, only four are now considered legitimate members of Obconica— P. obconica , P. filipes , P. Listen , and P. oreodoxa .