Primula mistassinica
Primula alcalina
bird's-eye primrose, Lake Mistassini primrose, Mistassini primrose, primevère du lac Mistassini
bluedome primrose
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.
not aromatic, indistinctly petiolate;
petiole winged;
blade without deep reticulate veins abaxially, elliptic to oblanceolate, 1–4 × 1 cm, thin, margins usually crenulate or denticulate, rarely entire, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous, often farinose when young, efarinose in age.
1–5(–10)-flowered;
involucral bracts plane, ± equal.
3–10-flowered;
involucral bracts plane, ± equal.
arcuate, thin, 5–20 mm, length 2–4 times bracts, flexuous.
erect at anthesis, relatively thin, to 5 mm, length to 1 times bracts, stiff.
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.
heterostylous;
calyx green with purple stripes, campanulate, 4–6 mm;
corolla white, tube 4–7 mm, length 1–1.2 times calyx, eglandular, limb 6–10 mm diam., lobes 3–5 mm, apex deeply notched.
cylindric to ellipsoid, length 1–1.2 times calyx.
ellipsoid, length 1–1.3 times calyx.
without flanged edges, reticulate.
without flanged edges, reticulate.
= 18.
= 18.
Primula mistassinica
Primula alcalina
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.)
Of conservation concern.
Primula alcalina is only known from Idaho west of the Lemhi Range and nearby southwestern Montana. Although historical records from Montana were known, this species was believed extirpated until relocated in 2002.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
BC
Go Botany
IL Wildflowers
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
