Primula laurentiana
Primula mistassinica
bird's-eye primrose, birdeye primrose, primevère laurentienne
bird's-eye primrose, Lake Mistassini primrose, Mistassini primrose, primevère du lac Mistassini
not aromatic, indistinctly petiolate;
petiole broadly winged;
blade without deep reticulate veins abaxially, oblanceolate to spatulate, 3–10 × 0.4–1.3 cm, thin, margins crenate, apex obtuse to acute, surfaces glabrous.
not aromatic, indistinctly petiolate;
petiole narrowly winged;
blade without deep reticulate veins abaxially, spatulate to elliptic, 5–7 × 0.2–1.6 cm, thin, margins denticulate to almost entire, apex obtuse to acute, surfaces glabrous.
3–12-flowered;
involucral bracts saccate, ± equal.
1–5(–10)-flowered;
involucral bracts plane, ± equal.
erect or spreading, sturdy, 5–10 mm, length ca. 2 times bracts, somewhat flexuous.
arcuate, thin, 5–20 mm, length 2–4 times bracts, flexuous.
homostylous;
calyx green, campanulate, 5–8 mm;
corolla lavender, tube 6–9 mm, length 1.5–2 times calyx, eglandular, limb 10–16 mm diam., lobes 5–8 mm, apex emarginate.
heterostylous;
calyx green, campanulate, 3–5 mm;
corolla lavender, tube 5–8 mm, length 1.5–2 times calyx, eglandular, limb 8–14 mm diam., lobes 4–7 mm, apex emarginate.
ellipsoid, length 1.5–2 times calyx.
cylindric to ellipsoid, length 1–1.2 times calyx.
without flanged edges, reticulate.
without flanged edges, reticulate.
= 72.
= 18.
Primula laurentiana
Primula mistassinica
Primula laurentiana is the octoploid member of a polyploid complex of sect. Aleuritia in North America that encompasses ploidy levels from 2x to 14x. It is most similar to the hexaploid P. incana; it differs in its larger flowers, more open inflorescence, and more robust stature. Both species are heavily farinose and have homostylous flowers. The efarinose form described as forma chlorophylla Fernald is a common variant throughout the range of the species. In coastal northeastern Canada, P. laurentiana blends morphologically and ecologically with P. stricta and crossing between the two is likely; assessment of species identity can be difficult here.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Primula mistassinica is the most widespread of the North American primroses, and one of the more polymorphic. It can vary in size, leaf morphology, and amount of farina; it is generally consistent in overall habit and floral morphology. Infraspecific taxa previously recognized include var. intercedens, a farinose form common around the Great Lakes, and var. novaeboracensis, a form without a prominent yellow eye in the corolla tube. Isolated individuals showing these characteristics appear throughout the range of the species, and an extensive examination of the complex by H. W. Vogelmann (1956, 1960) led him to conclude that it is best treated as a single, highly variable species; recent molecular analyses (A. Guggisberg et al. 2006) support this assessment. Around the Great Lakes, the presence of farina on the leaves is especially variable, and can range from extensive to nonexistent. Consequently, it seems most appropriate to recognize a single polymorphic taxon with no infraspecific designations, unless molecular analysis suggests otherwise. Although smaller forms of P. mistassinica often have been confused with other species in sect. Aleuritia, it is usually distinguishable by its relatively large heterostylous flowers with lavender corollas.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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